British Airways' most senior Irish-based official and his partner, also a member of the airline's management team here, have secured temporary High Court orders restraining the airline continuing with disciplinary proceedings against them.
Simon Daly, sales manager for Ireland, the Channel Islands and UK regions, and BA's Irish office manager Karen Keogh, were suspended last October after Mr Daly's line manager alleged they breached company rules by failing to declare their involvement in Dateridge Ltd, a company which handles group bookings for the airline.
Brian O'Moore SC, for the two, told Mr Justice Paul Gilligan yesterday they had done nothing wrong, were shocked and taken aback by BA's decision, and did not understand it.
Full knowledge
In an affidavit, Mr Daly said he set up Dateridge in 2002 to administer BA's Irish group booking business with the full knowledge and approval of the airline and the company operates from the same premises as BA's Irish offices.
The judge granted interim injunctions preventing BA continuing with disciplinary proceedings or taking any steps to dismiss them. The injunctions were sought on an ex-parte basis (one side only represented) and were made returnable to next month.
The judge said he was satisfied there was a fair issue to be tried, damages would not be an adequate remedy and the balance of convenience favoured the injunctions.
In an affidavit, Mr Daly said he had been candid about Dateridge from the outset and BA’s senior management were fully aware he set up a company to operate out of BA’S Dublin premises while he would continue to work for BA.
The contract to approve Dateridge to carry out the role of handling group bookings was approved at the very highest levels within BA and Dateridge has proven successful for all parties, he said. There had been no problem with that between 2002 and October last.
Directors
He and Ms Keogh had been involved in a relationship or many years and she has done a limited amount of work for Dateridge over the years. He and Ms Keogh became directors of Dateridge in June 2013.
When they were suspended last October to allow a preliminary investigation take place, BA alleged they had failed to declare their interest in Dateridge which amounted to a breach of trust and a breach of company policy regarding the declaration of outside interests. The allegation that he failed to declare his interest in Dateridge was “absolutely absurd”.
Mr Daly said has been with BA for approximately 15 years while Ms Keogh has been with the company for more than 30 years. During that time, neither ever had any disciplinary issues with their employer, he said.