You actually make some reasonable points, but then ruin it with things like this. The redevelopment work, including the airfield, is not complete and has been on hold for the best part of two years. It is unfair to suggest that they are not focused on growing the business when a global pandemic brought all plans to a grinding halt.
To be fair a major expansion of facilities SHOULD have also seen a commensurate expansion of apron space.
It's blinding obvious that there was little room for manoeuvre. You cannot expand East due M56, you cannot go South due the Cheshire boundary, and East is problematic due underground infastructure.
Yes i accept the timing of Covid was unfortunate but we now have a situation where we have a brand new glitzy terminal which has swallowed up a percentage of the available stands with a knock effect in terms of operability. Of course it's great having brilliant facilities and new piers that take you straight to the aircraft but thats pointless if that swallows up what little parking you have available.
Where do new based units go if airlines coming out of the Covid mess wish to expand ?