Capt J
Please be kind enough to check your facts before dismissing my posts as nonsense -
AFAIK airlines need airports to operate routes into/out of (correct me if I'm wrong) - the Route Development Fund provides funding to AIRPORTS (not AIRLINES) to enable them to pass on reduced landing charges etc.
If you check, in addition to Berlin & Rome, I think you'll find Easyjet's Paris & Nice routes both benefit from funding although the reason for this is somewhat bewildering given that they operate into BFS for next to nothing anyway!