There are ways and means of protecting slots by offering out PSO routes and stipulating airports/frequencies. Look at NQY...no-one would have thought a few years ago that they would be operating in and out of LHR but there they are. The airlines losses are growing year on year with nothing on the horizon to save them. Best to let it go having done the required legwork in the mean time to secure services on a risk-shared PSO basis as so many other airports have done. It's not rocket science but it does require some vision and growing a pair from the authorities.