As a DSA supporter I don't think DSA/Peel are desparate. I think they are just very good at what they do. Let's face it, this time last year everyone was having a giggle waiting for their whole venture to collapse. And come on, since DSA started flights HUY looks to have boomed. I don't remember seeing almost a full arrivals page list on teletext for HUY last year. It's a bit of a different story now. Seems MAG needed the wake up call. As for the KLM flights; KLM used to fly out of Sheffield City and I seem to recall that many of the flights were pretty full. That market must have gone somewhere, and I'm willing to bet not all of it went to HUY.
If the pax figure for Ryanair are right, then it is a shame. I think I read somewhere that pax figure for the DSA flight 738 are 73% or thereabouts. If Ryanair are moving to larger 737's then someone somewhere at MAG ought to be looking at another service provider for the 60 or so people per flight who want to go to Dublin from HUY.
The feeling around here is that TOM have never done a brilliant job on the Amsterdam route and might not be too sorry about competition. But again, I don't think the hoardes who fly from HUY will suddenly transfer to DSA, DSA has its own catchment independent of that.
It seems to me that MAG have been so complacent that they've never actually got around to finding and promoting what is the best market niche for HUY. If DSA coming along has done anything to change that and secure jobs then it is a blessing for both airports.
Tim