WATABENCH
CAA provisional stats for August show 8777 used the route - average of around 142 per flight or roughly an 82% average load factor.
At the time the route commenced the airport and airline suggested they were looking to carry around 75,000 pax in the first year. The published figures for June, July and August indicate a total of just over 23,300 carried in those months, so although these months are amongst the busiest of the year normally, and the fact that the route goes to five a week in winter, one hopes the target will be achieved.
There seem to have been plenty of initiatives in recent months by both the airline and airport to promote the route, including fare and car parking deals.
I have both read and heard anecdotal evidence to suggest that American travellers (the ones the route initially struggled to attract apparently), once they have discovered the route, like it.
For instance, on the website of a hotel serving Bristol Airport one US pax described how his party could not get a return flight from London on the dates they wanted so motored to Bristol, stayed in the hotel "right in the midddle of the countryside", went to a recommended nearby country pub for a meal and were taken to the airport the following morning. They intend to use this route again.