Ryanair to focus on yields and costs

DUBLIN, May 23 (Reuters) - Irish budget airline Ryanair is not planning on growing quickly in the next couple of years but will instead focus on improving yields and keeping costs down.

"I see a lot of upside in us not growing for the next year or two, at least not growing in the top line," Chief Executive Michael O'Leary told an analyst conference call.

Ryanair does not expect the Irish government to sell its 25 percent stake in Aer Lingus to it, O'Leary also said.

"Our strategy with Aer Lingus is wait and see. I think the government will sell the stake, but not to us," he said.

He said he had no plans to sell Ryanair's near 30 percent stake, but would consider it if the price was right.

Ryanair plans to pay out dividends towards the end of 2013 unless it makes a major plane order before that he said. Ryanair plans to build its cash stockpile to 4 billion euros for a major plane order, he said.