Ryanair’s plans to boost its maintenance capacity are creating tensions at Dublin Airport, where the low-cost carrier has a hangar adjacent to one to flag carrier Aer Lingus.

According to Breakingnews.ie, Aer Lingus is seeking to appeal a local government decision to grant Ryanair planning permission to develop Hangar 7.

Although Aer Lingus did not contest the original permission, it now argues that plans for a lower Hangar 7 roof could slow the transit of aircraft to and from the hangar, which could in turn slow passage of Aer Lingus aircraft to Hangar 6, which uses the same apron entry point.

“Aer Lingus will be restricted in terms of aircraft leaving and entering Hangar 6 and aircraft parking on the Hangar 6 apron before and after they undergo maintenance service,” stated Nial Timlin, director of corporate affairs for Aer Lingus, according to Breakingnews.ie.

In April 2023 Ryanair announced plans to build a new four-bay hangar at Dublin Airport as part of a €40 million ($44.1 million) investment it will make in the facility there.

“This facility will be state of the art and one of the most environmentally friendly hangars in Europe and will facilitate the maintenance of our growing fleet,” stated Eddie Wilson, CEO of Ryanair DAC, at the time.

Ryanair has other MRO facilities in Kaunas, Lithuania; Wroclaw, Poland; Seville, Spain and Glasgow, Scotland, but it also uses external providers such as Joramco in Jordan.

Its new 120,000 sq.ft hangar in Dublin will facilitate the heavy and line maintenance of Ryanair’s fleet at Dublin Airport as the airline grows its fleet with the delivery of Boeing 737 Max aircraft from Boeing.

Construction of the new facility was to commence in the final quarter of 2023, with aircraft maintenance operations planned to start in Q2 2025.