Originally Posted by
shamrock7seal
Bristol is absolutely stunning in terms of pax and destinations - but it already has 15 easyJet based aircraft and 4 with Ryanair. Thomas Cook and TUI also base up to 7/8 aircraft at the airport so perhaps it wouldn't be a good choice for yet another bucket and spade operator? Jet2 have proven that they can effectively compete with Ryanair but the dilution effect of a sizeable Jet2 base at BRS on the other carriers based there could be dangerous for BRS and they may be cautious with a deal. The new CEO at BRS knows this all too well coming from SOU. CWL would be interesting since the airport would be hungry for them for sure. BOH is vacant.
You might be right about BRS's attitude towards a significant new presence such as Jet2. The previous BRS CEO said publicly that the airport's preferred choice is to grow using existing airline partners in the main. This still seems to be the strategy as the airport continues its major public consultation on its new master plan and the way forward over the next 30 years.
The airport has grown from 6.3 mppa in 2014 to a likely 8.6 mppa in 2018 using its existing airline partners, the main ones you identify. The airport's projections are 10 mppa by 2021 and 12 mppa by 2025*. Whether this can be achieved by concentrating mainly on current BRS airlines remains to be seen.
* currently the airport is restricted to 10 mppa by its planning consents but an application will be made to the local authority to have this limit raised.