It has also emerged that the airport's new 15m Area 14 check-in development could shut within months as the airline's contract for the facility is an open-ended arrangement which the airline can terminate at any time. Aer Lingus is uncertain about whether it will need the area after this year's summer season.

The DAA had expected the airline to give up 18 check-in desks . . . just under 10% of the airport's entire stock . . . when it moved some of its operations to Area 14 next month. The desks would have then been reallocated to other airlines to reduce check-in queues.

However, the airport operator failed to make the surrender of the desks or a minimum rental duration conditions of its deal with Aer Lingus.

This is believed to be due to the fact that, according to a leaked management briefing obtained by the Sunday Tribune, it was desperate to open the area this summer to win consumer confidence for its future expansion plans.

Aer Lingus' commercial director Enda Corneille said that the airline was determined not to give up any of its check-in desks. "Area 14 is extra capacity for our customers so we'll have the same of desks elsewhere, " he said.

He also said that the airline also felt it needed the desks so that it was tied into using Area 14 on a long-term basis. "The issue is will we need the same level of space in the winter and, if we don't, it would make no sense to have our check-in split between two areas, " he said.

Corneille also said that the airline had the option of withdrawing from the facility at any time and would consider doing so if it experienced any problems with it. "We are going to keep the situation under review. It's different to other areas but we are excited about it."

However, a spokesman for the DAA insisted that Aer Lingus would surrender some of its check-in desks.

"It hasn't been fully decided what areas they will give up or who will use the freed up check-in space, " he said.

He refused to comment on the contents of the management briefing but said its promotional plans had not dictated its negotiations with Aer Lingus.

"The campaign is simply to show that we have detailed plans and they are now being delivered and will continue to be delivered if allowed to do so."