Ryanair's Chief Operations Officer Peter Bellew has told the High Court he "was shocked and devastated" and was left with no doubts that Michael O'Leary wanted him out of the company following a meeting with the airline's boss last March.
Mr Bellew said the meeting occurred with Mr O'Leary on 22 March last, where they discussed his annual review and performance as COO for the previous 12 months.
He said that Mr O'Leary had raised serious issues with and was critical of his performance as COO - which Mr Bellew said he disagreed with - and warned Mr Bellew that his role was at risk.
In reply to his counsel John Rogers SC, he said Mr O'Leary also informed him that he would not be included at that time in a 2019 share option scheme to senior management, but would be included if his performance as COO improved.
Mr Bellew said the review, which in places was contradictory, did not reflect the areas of improvements on issues such as pilot numbers, punctuality, ground handling and engineering improvements he had contributed to.
He said he was particularly shocked to be told that he was not being included in the 2019 share option scheme. In the meeting he asked Mr O'Leary if he wanted him gone from the airline.
Mr O'Leary, he replied, "ah I wouldn't say that". Mr Bellew said he pressed him on the issue but said Mr O'Leary remained "evasive".
He said their relationship began to deteriorate in July 2018 when Mr O'Leary rang him about a cabin crew, who were subsequently dismissed, who had refused to fly citing fatigue.
He said even though cabin crew was not his area of responsibility Mr O'Leary was very unhappy and said there was "a lack of discipline."
Mr Bellew said he was later involved in an investigation conducted by the Irish Aviation Authority into the incident, which he described as being very angry.
He said in November 2018 Mr O'Leary, who he said had called him a lover and not a fighter and accused him of being "too soft", sent him a letter criticising his performance as COO.
Mr Bellew said he did not accept the criticisms made of him.
It was a result of that communication where he first began to believe that he was a "dead man walking" and in the "departure lounge" regarding his position with Ryanair.
He said that after receiving that Mr O'Leary shouted at him during the weekly meetings between Mr O'Leary and the other senior executives; known as Zs.
Mr Bellew said that in July he decided to accept a job that had been offered to him by EasyJet.
He said he decided to accept it after he was informed that Mr O'Leary was involved in a confrontation with another employee, and after Mr O'Leary asked him to go to Vienna to help run the Laudamotion airline which Ryanair had become the major stakeholder.
He said he did not want to go as it would mean moving to the "Siberian front of Vienna". He said he had returned to Ryanair, which he had hoped to stay with for the rest of his career, but felt he had no other option other than leave.
Mr Bellew was giving evidence on the seventh day of Ryanair's action against Mr Bellew, who Ryanair has sued over his decision to take up employment with easyJet next month.
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.
Mr Bellew claims the clause was linked to a share option scheme offered to senior employees at the airlines.
In his evidence, he said that when the airline did not offer him share options in 2019, issued to replace a 2018 scheme which he claims is now worthless, his non-compete clause became null and void.
Mr Bellew said he worked with Ryanair between 2005 and 2015, before joining Malaysia Airlines as its COO, and then became its CEO.
Mr Bellew said he was persuaded to return to Ryanair by Mr O'Leary, who he described as been extraordinary in terms what he has achieved with the airline, in October 2017.
He said in late 2017 Ryanair had experiencing difficulties with pilot shortages and rostering, which had contributed to the airline having to cancel flights.
Under cross-examination by Martin Hayden SC for Ryanair Mr Bellew told the court that he would never disclose any information he had about Ryanair to any future employer.
He did not accept Mr Hayden's suggestion that he had information that a competitor to Ryanair "would kill for".
He said a lot of information about how Ryanair operates is unique to the airline and is in the public domain.
He did accept Mr Hayden's suggestion that he understood what the non-compete clause in his contract meant when he signed it, and accepted that he did not raise any issue about the clause before deciding to return to work for Ryanair.
In its action, Ryanair seeks an order requiring Mr Bellew to specifically perform his contract of employment with Ryanair, which includes the non-compete clause.
It also seeks an injunction preventing Mr Bellew of Glenconnor House, Killarney, Co Kerry from acting contrary to the post-termination restrictions allegedly contained his contract of employment.
In his defence, Mr Bellew denies any breach of contract and says the purported clause is unenforceable.
The hearing before Mr Justice Senan Allen continues.
