Courts / Ireland / Report
Ryanair COO slow to make decisions, senior execs tell High Court
Summary
In a High Court hearing, senior Ryanair executives Adrian Dunne and Neal McMahon testified that former Chief Operations Officer Peter Bellew was slow to approve decisions, including salary increases for managers in Stanstead and capital expenditure matters in Spain. They claimed Bellew had not signed off on these issues, which they later raised directly with CEO Michael O'Leary, who denied knowledge. Dunne and McMahon also reported delays in approving pay increases for key staff involved in pilot training. The case is part of Ryanair's action against Bellew, who has been sued for accepting a position with rival easyJet, allegedly breaching a 12‑month non‑compete clause. The hearing also addressed a media reporting restriction on a €1.75 billion profit target for 2020, which the court has decided to revisit. The proceedings continue before Justice Senan Allen.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Ryanair COO slow to make decisions, senior execs tell High Court. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- Christmas Other
- 2019-12-10 Publication
Why: In a claim, denied by Mr Bellew, Ryanair says he cannot commence work with what it considers to be its main rival in the low fares aviation sector because of a 12-month non-compete clause in his contract of employment. CNI source report
Case subjects
Respondent
Places mentioned
- High Court
- Ryanair's view
Topics
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