We need direct access; some have challenged my view on this, saying that this isn't the govt's job, BUT I would argue that the govt's role is to co-ordinate the efforts of state and private industry groups and (as it did with SQ) approach airlines, using all necessary means to reel one of them in.
I'm with you on this one. The Scottish Executive and the NI authorities are already being far more "activist" and have set up Route Development Funds (and in some cases engaged in their own marketing to airlines, in parallel with the airports' marketing endeavours) to win key direct routes (e.g. Emirates GLA-DXB, Continental BFS-EWR).
C.