Ryanair has been quoted as saying the firm is talking to eight German airports about expanding its attack on rival Lufthansa's home market.
"We want to expand strongly in this market and are currently negotiating with eight German airports," Ryanair chief executive Mr Michael O'Leary told a German news agency.
Ryanair has said in the past it wanted to fly to four or five German airports next year compared to just two destinations now and was particularly looking at southern Germany and the Berlin region. It has said it aims to begin German domestic flights in 2003.
The remarks come as Lufthansa fights a court battle against Ryanair, Europe's biggest budget airline, in a bid to prevent the Irish firm from using the expression "Frankfurt-Hahn" in its promotion campaign for its German service.
Hahn is located some 60 miles from Frankfurt, and Lufthansa has argued Ryanair is misleading customers.
Mr O'Leary was also quoted as saying an order of 100 new Boeing 737s, placed yesterday, would mean employing an additional 800 pilots, 2,000 cabin crew and 500 engineers.
In an effort to counter Ryanair's rapid assault on the German market, national carrier Lufthansa said earlier this week it may consider launching a budget airline.
But Mr O'Leary is not unduly concerned. "The sooner the better. Ryanair will be bigger than Lufthansa in six years' time," he was quoted as saying.