Time for BFS management to earn a crust now. I like(d) using BFS as much as possible, its my local, becoming past tense due to what appears to be a continuing decline in service especially around security at times that tend to affect me, and overcrowding generally.
APD / lack of an executive aside, that's 3 pops at the transatlantic cherry that have been blown in fairly quick succession. Why? The first port of call has to be some tough questions of the airport itself and its strategy, its too easy to lay the blame on Dublin, executive, Stormont, APD, the Norwegian product being inferior / narrowbody aircraft (which very few outside of the likes of enthusiasts are going to know anything about) etc. There's 2 million on the doorstep but, having had the opportunity, has anyone really tried finding out why they don't want to use BFS, so you can try and fix it? I haven't been asked and I'm through regularly. How many of the 2 million actively want to go to the US? How many knew about the Norwegian offering? Why did they dismiss it? How many just prefer Dublin and aren't going to be swayed? How many are swayed solely by the prospect of saving 40 quid by connecting through LHR or AMS or CDG or somewhere? Does this market actually exist, or is it one that BFS just really really want to exist? You can't fix the problem until you know what it is.
Personally - I'd much prefer to see priorities shifted to establishing some proper business connections to European cities, more than limited US connectivity or more bucket and spade routes to more parts of Spain that I don't want to go to.