INKJET
I'm not sure what the legal position is regarding putting baggage services out to tender. I used to work as an LBA baggage handler until quite recently and this topic was discussed in the baggage hall quite frequently. My understanding was that the airport had an option (with whom I don't know) to put out a tender but that's all it was, not a legal obligation. Sorry if that sounds like contradictory mumbo jumbo, I'm still a bit hung over from last night's wine and brandy.
Can you give us a clue as to the new BMI routes for January ?
Can't see BMI doing these, but Stansted and /or Norwich might be worth a crack for Eastern. There is a civil service outpost in Leeds whose main office is in Norwich and there is frequent staff travel between the two sites. Norwich isn't the easiest or quickest place to reach by virtue of its geographical location. To get there from Leeds means a five hour car journey, a two change train journey or trogging over the Pennines to catch the Eastern flight from Manchester. It might be possible to sustain a two rotation per day LBA-STN-NWI with a Jetstream 32. A -41 might be on the large side to begin with.