Errrrr... BFS is within a whisker of reaching 4 million pax this year. BHD's figures will be closer to 2 million.
According to CAA figures posted on another thread, the BFS September numbers are up 17 per cent on the same time last year. BHD's were static.
Times are tough for TBI but they are tough for all airport operators with the exception of BAA (which owns all the prime-sited and extremely lucrative airports in the country).
The kind of fees paid by airlines at LHR, EDI, STN, LGW and co aren't available to the likes of BFS, EMA, LPL, BRS etc etc. You could also include BHD in that.
In order to win (bmi) and retain business (flybe) BHD will have had to offer similarly cut price deals as those offered by its rival up the road.
BHD's per passenger take isn't probably much more than BFS.
BFS does at least have the quite lucrative charter business and improving retail so that it can cash in on the growing loco passenger numbers.
Oh and people can't leave their cars in the local Tesco car park - thus depriving the airport of more crucial revenue.
There are no winners in the NI market - only losers. When's the big shake-out coming?