Ryanair says it has applied to the High Court to prevent SIPTU closing Dublin airport for six hours during next Thursday's planned transport strike.
In a statement, the company said the High Court had agreed to allow a full hearing of the matter on Tuesday.
Ryanair's head of communications, Mr Paul Fitzsimmons said: "SIPTU has already closed Dublin Airport unnecessarily three times in as many months and if this latest SIPTU action is allowed to proceed, it will close Dublin airport, yet again, on one of the busiest weeks of the year, with the St. Patrick's Day celebrations, thousands of Irish people visiting the Cheltenham horse racing festival, and the European Presidency meeting here in Dublin.
"At a time when Irish tourism is struggling, SIPTU's planned action is a kick in the teeth to visitors and Irish consumers alike."
Ryanair said SIPTU's strike action would result in the disruption of over 50 flights, affecting around 8,000 passengers. It could take more than five days before services could be restored to full operational capacity, the company said.
Up to 50,000 passengers intending to travel through Dublin airport would be disrupted if the strike action goes ahead. The action will coincide with a 24-hour stoppage by SIPTU workers in Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and Íarnród Éireann, which is expected to bring the State to a near standstill.
Workers are holding the stoppages in protest at the Minister for Transport's plans to break-up CIÉ and Aer Rianta and at the lack of what they say is meaningful progress in talks with the unions.
Meanwhile, the Labour Relations Commission said this evening it was "surprised" at what it understands to be "a unilateral decision by the board of Aer Rianta" to make available a facilitator in relation to the talks on the company's future.
In a statement, the LRC said: "The Labour Relations Commission, at the request of the Department of Transport, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the unions in Aer Rianta, appointed Mr Tom Pomphrett some time ago to chair discussions on the employment issues arising from certain Government decisions in relation to the future of Aer Rianta.
"Mr Pomphrett has held a number of meetings and continues to be available at all times to the parties in order to assist them in their attempts to resolve issues between them and is, of course, available between now and the date of any planned industrial action in the company to discuss any agenda which might remove the threat of disruption.
"In that context, the Commission is surprised at what it understands to be a unilateral decision by the board of Aer Rianta to propose to make available another facilitator to assist the same parties in relation to the same matter. The Commission is convinced that the decision of the board can only serve to confuse the situation and undermine the process already agreed and committed to by all the parties involved."