Ruling on Ryanair bid to delay COO's easyJet move set for next week

Reuters
FILE PHOTO: Peter Bellew, former COO of Ryanair leaves the Four Courts in Dublin

DUBLIN (Reuters) - An Irish High Court judge hopes to rule next week on whether Ryanair <RYA.I> can prevent its operations chief Peter Bellew from joining arch-rival easyJet <EZJ.L> until 2021.

Ryanair has argued that Bellew possesses information of competitive value and that he is bound by a non-compete clause.

Former Malaysia Airlines boss Bellew denies he is subject to the clause and plans to start working with the British airline at the start of 2020 after completing a six-month notice period.

The court hearings have included assessments of Bellew's performance and an allegation, rejected by Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary, that he was bullied.

Judge Senan Allen said on Friday he would endeavour to make his judgement by Dec. 20 but that if he could not, he would hand it down on Dec. 23.

(Reporting by Conor Humphries, editing by Padraic Halpin and Alexander Smith)