Why is Ryanair called Ryanair? (Note to Elon Musk – 4 Ryans already ran it)
January 22, 2026
The name Ryanair sounds today like a deliberately blunt brand for Europe’s most combative airline. In fact, it is exactly what it appears to be: Ryan’s airline, named after the Irish family that founded it more than four decades ago.
That origin story seems particularly relevant after Elon Musk tweeted about buying the airline and “putting a Ryan in charge” amid his recent spat with Michael O’Leary over Starlink WiFi.
Ryanair is a family name, not a marketing invention
Ryanair was founded in 1984 by Irish aviation entrepreneur Tony Ryan, together with his sons Declan Ryan and Cathal Ryan, and business partners Christopher Ryan and Liam Lonergan. The airline was initially incorporated as Danren Enterprises before being renamed Ryanair in 1985, literally meaning Ryan’s airline.
Tony Ryan was already a heavyweight in Irish aviation when he decided to run an airline. As a former senior executive at Guinness Peat Aviation (GPA), he helped pioneer aircraft leasing and played a key role in establishing Ireland as a global aviation hub. Ryanair, at launch, was a relatively modest side venture.
Early Ryanair wasn’t low-cost, and nearly failed because of it
Ryanair’s first flight took off in 1985, operating a 15-seat Embraer Bandeirante between Waterford and London Gatwick. Contrary to its modern “no frills” strategy, the airline initially tried to compete as a full-service carrier, offering allocated seating and onboard perks while taking on Aer Lingus and British Airways head-to-head.
The strategy didn’t work.
By the early 1990s, Ryanair was losing money heavily and came close to collapse. Costs were too high, the network was unfocused, and the airline lacked the scale to win a traditional fare war.
Declan Ryan and the turning point for Ryanair
Declan Ryan was deeply involved in the airline’s early leadership, serving on the board and holding senior executive roles, including as CEO, during the airline’s formative period. Alongside his father, he supported a fundamental rethink of the airline’s strategy as losses mounted.
Their decision to pivot to the successful low-cost model would change European aviation.
After later stepping back from Ryanair, Declan Ryan went on to export the more successful low-cost model globally through Irelandia Aviation, helping launch or scale low-cost carriers including Allegiant Air in the US, Viva Aerobus in Mexico and Tigerair in Asia. Ryanair was the blueprint.
How Michael O’Leary got involved with Ryanair: Cost consciousness for the win
The decisive figure in Ryanair’s reinvention was the uncompromising Michael O’Leary, who originally joined the airline not as a CEO but as a financial adviser and aide to Tony Ryan.
In the early 1990s, Ryan sent O’Leary to study Southwest Airlines in the US. O’Leary returned convinced Ryanair could only survive by becoming a pure low-cost carrier.
The airline’s survival transformation was ruthless:
- One aircraft type (Boeing 737)
- No free meals
- Fast turnarounds
- Point-to-point routes
- Relentless cost control
In 1994, O’Leary became the airline’s CEO. Ryanair went public in 1997, expanded rapidly across Europe, and eventually became the continent’s largest airline by passenger numbers. The Ryan family gradually stepped back, but the family name was already truly minted in navy and gold for the low-cost leader.
What? Elon Musk trolls Ryanair by threatening to put a “Ryan in charge” of the airline
When Elon Musk clashed publicly with O’Leary over Ryanair’s reluctance to install Starlink in-flight internet, Musk posted on X:
“@Ryanair Should I buy Ryan Air and put someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge?”
Should I buy Ryan Air and put someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2026
The trolling probably amused Ryanair far more than Musk imagined, since they know their corporate history. They have had not one but four Ryans in charge. The notion that Musk would ever take over Ryanair is unrealistic — EU ownership rules alone would block it — but O’Leary invited Musk to invest in the airline during a press conference.
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary addresses his row with Elon Musk.
— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 21, 2026
On X, Musk called him 'an utter idiot and insufferable chimp'.
In response, O'Leary has launched a 'big idiot seat sale'.
He also says Musk is welcome to 'invest' in the airline. https://t.co/ozrwIXK2Ob pic.twitter.com/hWDAQow6c7
Whatever Musk does with his money, the squabble is a great opportunity to remind those who might not know that Ryanair really was once run by people named Ryan. Today, Ryanair is defined less by family ownership than by its scale and the consistent cost discipline, which would lead it to refuse to install Starlink WiFi.
The delightful Michael O'Leary hands Elon Musk his arse on a plate over his "Idiot" and "Retarded Twat" comments and discusses Starlink on planes and the poll for Elon to buy Ryanair.
— MrBounceBack.com (@Bounce_BackLoan) January 21, 2026
Isn't Social Media fabulous. pic.twitter.com/aujAt0B6P5
The airline has out-trolled Musk so far, gaining both ticket sales from the “idiot” promotion and a stock price spike from the speculation over a buyout.
Every Ryanair aircraft still carries a reminder of its origins, a noble aviation family name attached to one of the most disruptive airlines the industry has ever seen.
Featured Image: CAPTAIN RAJU | Wikimedia Commons
