This is starting to look very like the history of post-BAA PIK. Fire crews all leaving or threatening to leave due to "multi-skilling" (in managementese), a few freighters, then some USA charters in the summer (around '94 or '95 there was a season of BWI and DTW charters with American Trans Air.
I understand that Infratil were not controlling PIK at the time, but the similar growth pattern must be encouraging for MSE. However at PIK they did build an integrated rail station when pax numbers were close to zero. Maybe MSE needs some forward looking infrastructure improvement like this now?
XSB