VIRALITY BREAKDOWN 44 - © BY NAPOLIFY
Why Ryanair's teleport joke hit home for millions of frustrated travelers
This is our Content Breakdown series, where we analyze viral posts to uncover the psychological triggers and strategic elements that made them explode. We break down the storytelling techniques, attention hooks, and engagement drivers that turned ordinary content into high-performing assets. Whether it's curiosity loops, pattern interrupts, or emotional resonance, we dissect the mechanics behind virality so you can apply them to your own content. We've already analyzed over 500 viral posts, click here to access them all.
What's the context?
Let's first understand the audience's perspective with a quick recap before breaking things down.
You know something's working when an Instagram Reel racks up millions of views, hundreds of thousands of likes, and a comment section that reads like a group chat.
Ryanair didn't just post a funny video—they sparked a shared cultural eye-roll. The joke lands fast: a passenger who missed their flight gets “teleported” into the plane, overlaid with the deadpan caption: “What passengers that miss their flight expect us to do.” No need for over-explaining. The absurdity makes the humor click instantly. What makes it work isn't just the punchline—it's how the punchline plays off a truth we all recognize but rarely say out loud.
Relatability is an overused word in social media strategy, but this is a masterclass in how to earn it. The scenario taps into a universal travel frustration but flips it on its head. That inversion (paired with the ridiculous visual of teleportation) creates a moment of contrast so sharp it halts scrolling.
And once you pause, you're likely to engage. Comment. Tag someone. Maybe even rewatch. This is where the magic happens: the Reel slips right into what Instagram's algorithm favors (high rewatch rate, early comment velocity, and tag-based shares). Not to mention, the snappy runtime ensures completion rate stays high, an underrated factor in Reel distribution.
But what's especially clever is how this post doesn't try to elevate the brand. It grounds it. Ryanair doesn't posture or polish. They poke fun at themselves, at their customers, at the flying experience. It's a bit of memetic judo: by owning their identity as a low-cost airline and pairing that with lo-fi, self-aware humor, they foster a kind of reverse prestige. Younger audiences, conditioned by meme culture and allergic to corporate gloss, reward that tone with loyalty. It's not just funny. It's a signal: “We're not like the others.” That creates identity-based engagement, not just clicks.
There's more beneath the surface too. The structure of the Reel follows a classic storytelling arc: setup (missed flight), escalation (expectation), twist (teleportation). This taps into the Zeigarnik effect: people remember unfinished stories, and here, that little narrative pop gives the joke a sense of closure.
Plus, the teleportation isn't just a gag. It's a visual pattern interrupt, triggering surprise and delight in less than three seconds. Combined with the caption's dry tone, it becomes a dopamine loop: short setup, unexpected payoff, emotional release. That's how virality gets engineered—not declared.
Let's now break down exactly how each of those elements played their part.
Why is this content worth studying?
Here's why we picked this content and why we want to break it down for you.
-
Low Production, High ImpactThe video uses simple visuals and editing, showing you don't need a big budget to create viral content.
-
Audience-Centric HumorThe joke is crafted for the viewer's perspective, reminding you that good content speaks to your audience's worldview.
-
Cultural Commentary Through ComedyIt reflects a broader truth about entitlement and expectations, teaching you how to turn observations into content gold.
What caught the attention?
By analyzing what made people stop scrolling, you learn how to craft more engaging posts yourself.
- Absurd Visual HookWhen you see a plane beaming someone up like it's a sci-fi movie, you stop scrolling because it's visually impossible—and that impossibility makes it intriguing. It triggers curiosity instantly. On visual-first platforms like Reels, surreal but clean compositions grab more attention than realism. This scene bends reality just enough to make you want to see what's going on.
- Fast Setup, Faster PayoffThere's no ramp-up. You get the joke in the first two seconds, and the visual punchline lands instantly. In an attention economy where the first 1.5 seconds determine whether someone stays, this kind of efficiency is gold. It respects how people scroll and rewards them fast.
- Brand-Inappropriate HumorAirlines usually try to be safe, polite, and overly polished. When a brand like Ryanair drops that voice and leans into dry, absurd humor, it disrupts expectations. That tonal contrast alone makes you look twice. You're not used to a company like this being so blunt, which makes it stand out.
- Lean Visual DesignThe composition is uncluttered: clear sky, centered plane, centered person, spotlight effect. When you scroll through a feed full of noise, this minimalism pops. Simplicity increases processing fluency, which makes content feel easier to consume. Easy-to-consume equals easy-to-notice.
Like Factor
- Some people press like because they want to be part of the joke and subtly signal they enjoy this kind of dry, self-aware humor.
- Some people press like because they want to show appreciation for a brand that unexpectedly made them laugh.
- Some people press like because they silently relate to the chaos of missing a flight and feel seen by the joke.
- Some people press like because they want to encourage more serious brands to post fun, unfiltered content.
Comment Factor
- Some people comment because they're sharing humor or playful engagement with the post.
- Some people comment because they're criticizing Ryanair's service or policies, especially overbooking and compensation issues.
- Some people comment because they're expressing brand loyalty or affection for Ryanair's tone or account.
- Some people comment because they're making sarcastic or passive-aggressive remarks about Ryanair.
- Some people comment because they are referencing personal or awkward travel experiences.
- Some people comment because they are reacting to the video or asking about the content.
- Some people comment because they're critical of the brand tone or find the humor inappropriate.
Share Factor
- Some people share because they want to tag a friend who missed a flight once and laugh at them without saying it outright.
- Some people share because they want to spread content that validates how unrealistic some customer expectations can be.
- Some people share because they want to show others an example of a brand being unexpectedly funny and self-aware.
- Some people share because they see Ryanair as a love-hate travel icon and want to joke about it publicly.
How to replicate?
We want our analysis to be as useful and actionable as possible, that's why we're including this section.
-
1
Swap the situation, keep the absurd expectation
Instead of teleporting someone onto a plane, replace the setting with a gym, a school, or a doctor's office—anywhere people show up late and still expect full service. For example, a gym could show someone getting beamed onto a treadmill mid-run, with the caption “What latecomers think we'll do.” This would resonate with service-based businesses or professionals who deal with client punctuality. However, the exaggeration must still be rooted in a real customer behavior—if it feels made up or irrelevant, it loses its bite. -
2
Turn the joke into a recurring series
Instead of a one-off joke, turn it into a “What [X] expect us to do” series with different customer scenarios. For example, a bakery could show someone getting a three-tier wedding cake instantly after walking in five minutes before closing. This would work well for small businesses that deal with unrealistic last-minute requests. The trap to avoid is making it feel like you're whining about customers—keep the tone light, not bitter. -
3
Use the same visual logic for emotional topics
Apply the teleport-beam device to something more emotional, like support, recognition, or burnout. A mental health brand could show someone getting "beamed" out of a chaotic workspace into a calm setting with the caption “What taking a mental health day actually feels like.” This would resonate with wellness audiences and creators in the self-care or work-life balance space. To avoid backlash, the absurdity must never trivialize the topic—it has to exaggerate relief, not make light of the problem.
Implementation Checklist
Please do this final check before hitting "post".
-
You must open with a visually unexpected twist, because pattern disruption is what grabs attention before conscious thought even kicks in.
-
You should anchor the scenario in a widely understood real-world behavior, since people engage more when they recognize a truth being exaggerated.
-
You should include a caption that amplifies or reframes the joke, because the right wording gives the viewer instant context and strengthens the share impulse.
-
You should match the humor and tone to what your audience already finds believable or amusing, since tonal dissonance makes even great ideas fall flat.
-
You could use silent captions that double as punchlines, since most users scroll with sound off and strong text increases watch-through.
-
You could bake in an exaggerated solution to an everyday annoyance, because solutions—especially funny or unrealistic ones—get shared as wishful thinking.
Necessary
Optional
Implementation Prompt
A prompt you can use with any LLM if you want to adapt this content to your brand.
[BEGINNING OF THE PROMPT]
You are an expert in social media virality and creative content strategy.
Below is a brief description of a viral social media post and why it works. Then I'll provide information about my own audience, platform, and typical brand voice. Finally, I have a set of questions and requests for you to answer.
1) Context of the Viral Post
A viral Instagram Reel by Ryanair showed a late passenger being “teleported” onto a plane, captioned: “What passengers that miss their flight expect us to do.” The post used absurd visual exaggeration to highlight a very real customer behavior—expecting miracles when they show up late. The surreal teleportation beam contrasted with the very grounded context of low-cost air travel, making the post scroll-stopping, laugh-out-loud, and incredibly shareable. The tone was blunt, sarcastic, and self-aware, aligning with Ryanair's irreverent voice and making the brand feel more like a creator than a company.
Key highlights of why it worked:
- Scroll-stopping absurdity based on a true customer behavior
- Dry humor and self-aware tone from a typically boring industry
- Visually simple but creatively surprising execution
- Platform-native formatting (short, vertical, fast-paced)
- Taggable relatability that encouraged inside-joke sharing
2) My Own Parameters
[Audience: describe your target audience (age, interests, occupation, etc.)]
[Typical Content / Brand Voice: explain what kind of posts you usually create]
[Platform: which social platform you plan to use, e.g. Facebook, Instagram, etc.]
3) My Questions & Requests
Feasibility & Conditions:
- Could a post inspired by the “teleporting customer” format work for my specific audience and platform?
- Under what conditions or customer behaviors would it be most successful?
- Are there any pitfalls or sensitivities I should be aware of (tone, expectations, cultural context, etc.)?
Finding a Relatable Story:
- Please suggest ways to identify or brainstorm common unrealistic expectations or industry-specific absurd requests.
Implementation Tips:
- Hook: How to grab attention visually or conceptually in the first second.
- Absurd Expectation: How to exaggerate a real request or belief for humorous effect.
- Emotional/Relatable Trigger: Indicate which audience insights or frustrations to tap into.
- Formatting: Best practices for visuals, captioning, pacing, and platform-native style.
- Call to Action (CTA): How to naturally prompt tagging, sharing, or commenting based on the concept.
Additional Guidance:
- Recommend any tone, phrasing, or visuals that stay true to my brand while using this structure.
- Offer alternative angles or execution ideas if teleportation or flight-based humor isn't relevant to my niche.
4) Final Output Format
- A brief feasibility analysis (could it work for me, under what conditions).
- A short list of story or idea prompts I could use.
- A step-by-step action plan (hook, absurd contrast, relatability, CTA, etc.).
- Platform-specific formatting tips (video length, caption tone, hashtags, etc.).
- Optional: Alternative executions if the exaggerated-expectation angle needs to be reshaped for my context.
[END OF PROMPT]