London, Aug. 31: Ryanair is expecting a "very strong recovery" in European short-haul flights, according to its chief executive, Michael O'Leary.

The Dublin-based carrier predicts it will fly 10.5 million passengers a month over the next three months. By passenger count, the airline is Europe's largest.

"Through the winter, pricing will continue to build, but it will still be below pre-Covid," Mr O'Leary said before a news briefing. "We don't expect pricing to go back to pre-Covid levels until the summer of 2022," he added.

The airline is also looking to expand its order for Boeing aircraft. "We're certainly very keen to place a Max-10 order, but only when the timing and the pricing is right," Mr O'Leary said.

This month, Ryanair also announced it would open a new base at Newcastle International Airport in 2022.

But it added that it would cease flights from Belfast City Airport in September and from Belfast International Airport in October. Ryanair blamed the cost of operating at the airports, as well as the UK government's "refusal to suspend or reduce" air passenger duty.

Ryanair is also to stop flying from London Southend Airport in November as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It will mean that no passenger planes will use the airport.

Ryanair said the aircraft is used on routes to and from Belfast would be "reallocated to lower-cost airports elsewhere in the UK and Europe for the winter schedule, which starts in November".