"Our view is the new terminal at Dublin will improve the facilities for all carriers in all terminals and that every passenger, every airline should pay a bit more, " said the airline's chief executive, Dermot Mannion.

"I think the only difference there [between ourselves and DAA], which the regulator has opined on, is whether charges should increase now or whether the charges should increase when Terminal 2 is open."

His comments boost the position of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), which is seeking reassurances from the Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) that it will be able to charge higher fees when the terminal opens so it can recoup its investment.

Last month, CAR decided not to increase passenger charges at the airport for the next two years, following calls from the DAA for a immediate increase.

Ryanair, which will not use Terminal 2, has consistently opposed the DAA's attempts to secure higher passenger charges at the airport. Its head of regulatory affairs, Jim Callaghan, has stated that it would lead to "Ryanair paying for fat-cat businesses operating out of T2".

Aer Lingus's Mannion also reasserted the airline's support for the new terminal, saying that Aer Lingus's announcement last week that it would buy 12 new longhaul aircraft from Airbus provided a boost to the project.