Originally Posted by
RW20
If this happens it would be disastrous for SOU,
The demise of Flybe 1 almost destroyed the airport!
With the economic situation at the moment SOU is struggling to.survive,with PAX numbers very suppressed.
Flybe is not the answer,and BA operation has not been advertised enough to make it a success.
SOU needs its runway extension to continue as a viable operation,but it is not going to be easy with the on going economic situation,and world turmoil.
I doubt flyBe would be disastrous for SOU, at least they will get some passengers through the door. I doubt a serious attempts at an SOU base/focus city by easyJet or Ryanair would be scuppered by a few Q400s on Domestic routes. Who knows how long flyBe will survive and what their business model will evolve into. Mid-life Q400s will need to be replaced at some point and they are not made anymore. If they stay with turboprops it will have to be the ATR, maybe they will graduate to the A220 or secondhand 737NG/A32X.