Ryanair's CFO Admits Potential for Starlink WiFi On Planes Amid O'Leary-Musk Feud
In a surprising turn of events, Ryanair's finance chief Neil Sorahan has hinted that the airline may consider using Elon Musk's Starlink wifi technology on its planes in the future. The suggestion comes amid a heated feud between Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary and the world's richest person.
Sorahan said that when the tech is available and the price is right, Ryanair would look into installing Starlink satellite internet technology on its fleet of 650 aircraft. This idea was first floated by Sorahan after an online spat between O'Leary and Musk, who criticized O'Leary's rejection of the technology.
O'Leary had initially expressed skepticism about using Starlink on his planes, citing concerns over fuel costs and technical feasibility. However, he later admitted that the quarrel with Musk had actually increased bookings by 2-3%.
Despite this, Sorahan remains cautious about introducing in-flight wifi to Ryanair's short-haul flights, which typically last between one and three hours. The airline has struggled to convince passengers to pay for wifi services on its planes.
The feud between O'Leary and Musk may have had an unexpected effect on Ryanair's website traffic, with Sorahan describing the online spat as "good fun". However, this lighthearted atmosphere does little to alleviate concerns about the airline's financial prospects.
Ryanair recently revised its forecasts for passenger numbers, profit growth, and fares, citing a 7% increase in average fares. The airline also raised its profits after tax, despite a fine from the Italian competition authority that it is appealing against.
As shares in Ryanair dropped by 1.7% on Monday, investors may be wondering whether Sorahan's comments about Starlink wifi mark a turning point for the airline's strategy. With Boeing deliveries progressing well and the final four Max 8 models set to join the fleet, there are signs of a more optimistic outlook for Ryanair.
In a surprising turn of events, Ryanair's finance chief Neil Sorahan has hinted that the airline may consider using Elon Musk's Starlink wifi technology on its planes in the future. The suggestion comes amid a heated feud between Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary and the world's richest person.
Sorahan said that when the tech is available and the price is right, Ryanair would look into installing Starlink satellite internet technology on its fleet of 650 aircraft. This idea was first floated by Sorahan after an online spat between O'Leary and Musk, who criticized O'Leary's rejection of the technology.
O'Leary had initially expressed skepticism about using Starlink on his planes, citing concerns over fuel costs and technical feasibility. However, he later admitted that the quarrel with Musk had actually increased bookings by 2-3%.
Despite this, Sorahan remains cautious about introducing in-flight wifi to Ryanair's short-haul flights, which typically last between one and three hours. The airline has struggled to convince passengers to pay for wifi services on its planes.
The feud between O'Leary and Musk may have had an unexpected effect on Ryanair's website traffic, with Sorahan describing the online spat as "good fun". However, this lighthearted atmosphere does little to alleviate concerns about the airline's financial prospects.
Ryanair recently revised its forecasts for passenger numbers, profit growth, and fares, citing a 7% increase in average fares. The airline also raised its profits after tax, despite a fine from the Italian competition authority that it is appealing against.
As shares in Ryanair dropped by 1.7% on Monday, investors may be wondering whether Sorahan's comments about Starlink wifi mark a turning point for the airline's strategy. With Boeing deliveries progressing well and the final four Max 8 models set to join the fleet, there are signs of a more optimistic outlook for Ryanair.
. I mean, on one hand, it could be a game-changer for Ryanair - no more relying on dodgy Wi-Fi signals at airports! But on the other hand, it's just another way for O'Leary to keep throwing shade at Musk and trying to one-up him 
. And what about the fuel costs? Sorahan says they'll look into it when the tech is available and the price is right... but how long will that take? Anyway, I do hope Ryanair can get some decent Wi-Fi on board soon! 
Only time will tell if Sorahan's comments are just a clever PR stunt or a genuine shift in strategy.
. Sorahan is taking a cautious approach now, which is actually pretty smart 
. The thing is, innovation can be scary, but it can also lead to some amazing opportunities 
. Maybe Ryanair should take this chance and see where it takes them? 
... like they're trying to distract us from the real issues with Starlink WiFi being super expensive and only for high-income travelers, right? 
. Meanwhile, Sorahan is trying to thread the needle between pleasing his boss and staying true to their original plans.
. That's code for "we'll wait until we can negotiate better deals with SpaceX". I'm not sure if this is a sign of Ryanair's willingness to adapt or just O'Leary trying to get the best possible outcome.
. Passengers are smarting from recent fare hikes, and if they start paying for wifi on top of that, they'll be taking their business elsewhere.
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? I remember getting so excited watching music videos with "back in my day" 
! Anyway, Starlink wifi on planes is like something out of sci-fi – it's crazy that Ryanair might actually consider it. The fact that O'Leary got roasted by Musk and still managed to boost bookings by 2-3% is pretty wild, tbh 
. But Sorahan seems right to be cautious about implementing it on short-haul flights – we've all been there, trying to get some work done or catch up on a show on a short flight and it's just not gonna happen 
. Still, it'll be interesting to see if they make the leap and what kinda impact it'll have on their business 
just like they did with gogo wifi a few yrs ago 
. And what about the passenger experience? We all hate waiting for those awful buffering videos to load on flights 
. Anyway, I'm just curious if this is a genuine attempt by Sorahan or just another publicity stunt from Ryanair 
? But seriously, can you imagine flying with no internet? It's like being stuck in the Dark Ages 
. Starlink WiFi might just be the thing Ryanair needs to take their short-haul flights from basic to not-so-boring 
It's a total game-changer for the airline industry. And let's be real, who doesn't love a good feud between billionaires to drive up website traffic?