Technically true = Actually true (but you wish it was not!).
I have no skin in this game, why on earth would I wish it to be untrue? It is what is. You're the one emotionally invested with years of service and loyalty to an airport, to a business that has changed beyond all recognition. I am happy to see Virgin doing well out of MAN off the back of strong UK POS brand recognition as well as being disappointed that Delta left. I am appalled that American are so reliant on LHR that the rest of the European network is a fraction of what it once was. I am saddened United just gave up. BUT nowadays I understand why markets change over time, why priorities move and why assets need to be redeployed to where they can make most money. Sentiment can kill any business if you let it guide you too far. Best example was the palpable shock when Midland dropped GLA-LHR, people were aghast BUT that core market had been changed and fragmented to pieces over many years and it was only a shock to those who hadn't been watching the process.
I dont think they cared before! Some years ago BA used to operate and B767 MAN-JFK ( as I am sure many will recall) and everytime I tried to book a flight ex MAN to JFK, they would try and route me through LHR. Then they chopped the flight because it did not pay. Of course it did not pay because BA would route passengers via LHR. They NEVER 'cared' about MAN originating traffic !
Fair point, care is the wrong word. BA's business units had to compete to make a business case for assets (aircraft) and head office had a clear preference for a LHR focus as that's where most of the money was made. They could easily offer multiple daily MAN-LHR-JFK connections and redeploy the B767 onto a LHR-xyz rotation. It's not fair but nowadays I understand a lot more about how finance teams come to decision and why management often just go along with them.... It's not personal nor an anti regions bias, it is usually guided by some cold numbers.
Speaking of cold, given MAN has dropped so much transatlantic capacity, you really, really hope they're going to offer Norse Atlantic the sweetest of welcome deals.....?