James Blunt’s promise to change name to ‘Ryan Air’ takes hilarious turn after album reaches No. 1

For British residents in Spain, the name Ryanair is hardly unfamiliar. Whether it’s a quick trip back to the UK, a weekend city break or a dash to catch a connecting flight, the budget airline is a familiar part of life for many expats.

But there could soon be some confusion over who the most famous Ryan Air actually is, as singer James Blunt has promised to legally change his name to match the airline if his latest album reaches Number 1.

And unlike the usual Ryanair booking experience, this particular name change shouldn’t come with any surprise baggage fees or hidden extras. The You’re Beautiful singer put his reputation on the line after challenging fans to get his eighth studio album, Airplane Mode, to the top of the UK charts.

Well, they’ve only gone and done it. The album landed at Number 1 on Friday, November 13, meaning Blunt now has a rather unusual promise to keep.

But in true James Blunt fashion, the singer has responded with a hilarious spoof telephone conversation with Ryanair. And now the airline has fired back with its own video, threatening to sue him so badly that he won’t even be able to afford one of its budget flights!

James Blunt’s hilarious spoof video with Ryanair threat

Rather than quietly heading off to fill in the paperwork, Blunt decided to celebrate his chart success by picking up the phone, or at least pretending to, in a comedy sketch shared on Instagram.

The video shows the singer apparently speaking to a Ryanair representative, who begins by congratulating him on his Number 1 album.

But what starts as a seemingly friendly conversation quickly takes a rather sinister, albeit hilarious, turn.

As Blunt attempts to discuss his promise, the voice on the other end threateningly reminds him that he has a beautiful family, prompting the singer to acknowledge that he may have made a few questionable decisions.

“I said a lot of things,” he admits.

The supposed airline representative then makes its position clear: “You keep your name, we keep ours.”

But just when Blunt thinks the matter might be settled, Ryanair delivers the ultimate threat. Not legal action, not an enormous fine, but something arguably far more terrifying for anyone who has ever flown with the budget airline… They’ll seat his family separately!

It’s the ultimate Ryanair power move, and one that will undoubtedly strike a chord with British families who regularly travel between Spain and the UK.

Of course, the entire exchange is a staged comedy sketch rather than a genuine customer-service call, but it’s another example of Blunt’s willingness to make himself the punchline.

Ryanair fires back with hilarious legal threat

But James Blunt isn’t the only one enjoying the joke. Ryanair has now entered the conversation, and the famously cheeky airline isn’t about to surrender its name without a fight.

The budget carrier had already taken a swipe at Blunt on X when he first announced his challenge, responding with the savage put-down: “at least people would know you then.”

And now, following his chart success, Ryanair has taken things a step further by releasing its own comedy video.

The clip features an animated Ryanair aircraft with a talking face, delivering a rather dramatic warning to the singer.

The airline jokingly threatens to sue Blunt over his proposed new identity, suggesting the legal battle would leave him so financially ruined that he wouldn’t even be able to afford a Ryanair flight.

The internet has its boarding passes ready

Unsurprisingly, the videos have given fans plenty of ammunition, with social media users wasting no time joining in with the jokes.

One commenter warned the singer that his new identity might be rather difficult to escape, writing: ” you know.. the Ryan Air thing ain’t gonna go away. The internet is thirsty, James.”

Another couldn’t resist a dig at Ryanair’s reputation for additional charges, asking: “Can the family be sued together? Or is that £39.99 extra per person?”

Meanwhile, one fan suggested an alternative airline-inspired identity, commenting: “I hear Jet Two is a good name these days.”

The comments are a fitting response to a singer who has spent years entertaining fans with his sharp wit and willingness to laugh at himself. And while Blunt may have successfully landed another Number 1 album, it seems escaping his new nickname could prove considerably more difficult.

Not James Blunt’s first bizarre name-change promise

Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time Blunt has offered to sacrifice his identity in exchange for a Number 1 album.

Back in 2024, the singer challenged fans to send the 20th-anniversary reissue of his debut album, Back to Bedlam, to the top of the charts.

In return, he promised to legally change his name to whichever suggestion received the most support from the public. The winning suggestion was the rather unfortunate ‘Blunty McBluntface’, inspired by the famous Boaty McBoatface naming saga.

Fortunately for Blunt, the album only reached Number 7, allowing him to escape the paperwork and retain his original name.

Clearly not one to learn from his mistakes, Blunt decided to give fans another opportunity to rename him.

Will James Blunt really become Ryan Air?

While the singer’s latest video suggests he is having plenty of fun with the situation, the question remains whether he will actually go through with the legal name change.

Blunt has yet to publicly confirm that he has completed the necessary paperwork, and his spoof conversation with Ryanair appears to be his latest attempt to turn the situation into a joke.

Whatever happens next, the singer has plenty to celebrate.

His eighth studio album has returned him to the top of the UK charts, while his unusual publicity stunt has provided fans with another reason to appreciate his famously dry sense of humour.

And for British travellers in Spain, perhaps the next time someone mentions Ryan Air, it might be worth checking whether they’re talking about the airline or the man behind You’re Beautiful.