Recently, numerous airlines have disclosed intentions to implement Starlink Wi-Fi, which is an exciting development for travelers, owing to its high speed and complimentary availability. In contrast, one airline has clearly expressed its disinterest in Starlink. This has sparked an intriguing online debate, as Elon Musk and Starlink enthusiasts struggle to accept Ryanair’s rejection of the industry norm.
## Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary dismisses Starlink
In a recent conversation, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary was questioned about the possibility of the airline adopting Starlink Wi-Fi. His response was straightforward — “you must install an antenna on the fuselage, resulting in a 2% fuel penalty due to the weight and drag,” and “we believe our passengers aren’t inclined to pay for Wi-Fi on a typical one-hour flight.”
In reaction, Michael Nicolls, VP of Starlink Engineering at SpaceX, countered this statement, asserting that “a 2% fuel impact could apply to traditional terminals, but Starlink’s terminal design is significantly more efficient,” and that “our evaluations indicate that the fuel increase for a 737-800 (which consumes 800 gallons/hour) with our current configuration is about 0.3%.”
Elon Musk added his two cents, stating that O’Leary is “misinformed,” and that “I suspect they can’t accurately gauge the fuel usage difference, especially on a one-hour flight, where incremental drag is essentially nonexistent during the ascent because of the angle of attack.”
Notably, Musk’s AI Grok tool does not dispute the 2% fuel penalty claims (though this doesn’t confirm their accuracy).
## Ryanair is correct, and many struggle to accept this
Whatever your opinion on Ryanair and its passenger services, it’s undeniable that Ryanair ranks among the most disciplined airlines worldwide. It’s one of the most profitable airlines and boasts some of the highest profit margins.
The airline achieves this by avoiding distractions, remaining intensely focused on minimizing costs. Ryanair doesn’t require Starlink, at least not in the near term.
Musk evidently lacks an understanding of the airline sector, positing that “they will lose customers to airlines that offer Internet.”
Sure, so if I need to fly from Leeds to Gdansk, I wouldn’t choose the nonstop Ryanair flight for $27, but rather opt to significantly increase my journey time and costs to connect via a traditional airline through a major hub?
People select Ryanair for convenience & value
Musk fails to grasp why travelers select Ryanair — absolutely no one chooses Ryanair based on the product; they opt for it due to schedule and pricing. This rationale holds, especially considering that the “big three” major European airlines are heavily invested in funneling traffic through their global hubs.
Elon Musk’s supporters struggle to comprehend this, with one individual asserting that “if Ryanair is maintaining their margins so tightly that *Starlink* wouldn’t be cost-effective, I’d reconsider as an investor.” Quite the contrary. Ryanair maintains some of the industry’s top margins precisely because it prioritizes cost management over unnecessary extras.
Additionally, some are attempting to calculate potential revenues Ryanair might generate with Starlink Wi-Fi, using overly complicated equations. This appears to ignore the stipulation that airlines with Starlink Wi-Fi cannot charge individual customers for the service (at least as I understand it).
## Bottom line
Ryanair shows no interest in integrating Starlink Wi-Fi. Although individuals may contest Michael O’Leary’s assertion regarding the 2% fuel burn increase, the second part of his statement is undeniably accurate — “we don’t believe our passengers will pay for Wi-Fi on a typical one-hour flight.”
O’Leary is right here, plain and straightforward. Ryanair’s strategy revolves around competing on schedule and price, not product. This approach is effective, especially considering Ryanair faces little competition in the majority of its markets.
So, as much as I appreciate Starlink as a customer, Ryanair stands as one airline where it’s simply not necessary, at least for the foreseeable future. Ryanair thrives due to this discipline, rather than in spite of it.
**What is your opinion on Ryanair’s indifference to Starlink?**