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The Details of the Very ‘Idiotic’ Public Spat Between Elon Musk and Ryanair Boss

Apeksha Bhateja Apeksha Bhateja |
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And other news you may have missed.

This week in travel, we have several stories that may have flown under your radar. Among them: A winter storm has caused more than 11,000 flight cancellations in the U.S.; the Australian government will euthanize a pack of wild dingoes linked to a tourist’s death; and Elon Musk is fighting with Ryanair’s CEO.

Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.

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U.S. Storm Cancels Flights

More than 11,000 flights were canceled across the U.S. on Sunday, making it one of the worst days for aviation since the pandemic. Storm Fern is inundating the country with snow and ice, and more than 19,000 flights have been canceled since Saturday. Airports in New York reported 10 inches of snow, while Washington, Dallas, Atlanta, Charlotte, Denver, Chicago, and Boston were also affected. On Monday morning, travel remained disrupted throughout the country.

Delta extended its travel waiver, allowing passengers to adjust their flights at no extra cost. United Airlines and American Airlines–which was the most impacted on Sunday–also offered waivers.

Eighteen people have reportedly died due to the storm, and a million people experienced power outages. At least 20 states have declared states of emergency. New York closed schools on Monday.

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Dingoes on Australian Island to Be Euthanized

The Queensland government has decided to euthanize a pack of dingoes on K’gari Island in Australia after a Canadian backpacker’s body was found on the beach surrounded by the wild dogs. A post-mortem found “physical evidence consistent with drowning and injuries consistent with dingo bites.” However, they may not have caused the immediate death.

Rangers have been tracking the pack of 10 dingoes, which have shown aggressive behavior that may put humans at risk. Environment Minister Andrew Powell said, “This is a tough decision but I believe it’s the right call in the public interest.”

K’gari Island is home to around 200 dingoes, which are sacred to Indigenous people. However, the Butchulla people, who are the traditional custodians of the island, were not consulted about the decision. Christine Royan, the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation secretary, called it a disgrace and said, “This government has no respect for First Nations people.” The Butchulla blame overtourism on the island for increased dingo attacks.

Related: Pack of Wild Dingoes Found Standing Over Dead Backpacker on Famed Beach

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Thai Temple Issues Notice to Travelers After Inappropriate Behavior

A Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand, posted a notice on its social media accounts asking for travelers to curb inappropriate behavior. The Wat Pha Lat temple said in its post, “Wat Pha Lat is a Buddhist temple and a sacred sanctuary, not a recreational park or a gym.” The bilingual message featured a woman doing acro yoga with a partner in improper clothing.

Wat Pha Lat is a peaceful place for monks to meditate, but travelers have been seen performing yoga and acrobatics at the site, climbing structures, or wearing swimwear to the temple. Tourists are advised to behave respectfully and follow local customs, especially when visiting sacred sites.

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Former Flight Attendant Accused of Conning Airlines

U.S. prosecutors have indicted a former flight attendant of a Canadian airline for allegedly posing as a pilot and a flight attendant to obtain free flights from U.S. airlines. The indictment alleges that Dallas Pokornik, 33, ran this scheme for four years and secured hundreds of free flights, and once even requested access to the cockpit to sit in the jump seat reserved for off-duty pilots. Pokornik worked in Toronto from 2017 to 2019 and allegedly forged employee documents to dupe three undisclosed U.S. airlines based in Chicago, Hawaii, and Fort Worth.

Pokornik is currently in custody after being arrested in Panama and extradited. He has pleaded not guilty to wire fraud charges.

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Ryanair Boss Michael O’Leary and Elon Musk Have a Public Spat

Last week, the head of budget airline Ryanair traded insults with Elon Musk. The dispute began after Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, rejected the idea of installing Starlink internet on Ryanair planes, claiming it wouldn’t be cost-effective. Starlink is one of Musk’s companies. Musk took to X, which he owns, to say that O’Leary’s opinion was misinformed. Both businessmen are known for their provocative language, and both called each other idiots.

The airline mocked the billionaire after a social media platform outage last week. Musk, meanwhile, floated the idea of buying Ryanair with a poll on X and even said he would put a “Ryan in charge.”

The low-cost carrier also ran a “big idiot sale” promotion to capitalize on the feud, and the aviation boss thanked Musk for a boost in ticket sales.

Although Musk has delivered on his threats earlier with X, Ryanair is a European airline. Under E.U. regulations, airlines can be owned only by citizens of the E.U., Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, or Liechtenstein. O’Leary invited the Tesla boss to invest in the company, but he cannot own it.