The route is definitely being dropped. 189 every day of the week was overkill, but with over 5000 pax a month using the service, demand is there. I doubt there will be a replacement service in place in time for the winter, but bosses are hopeful for next summer.
It is not the final nail in the coffin, it just shows that the right aircraft from the right operator is needed for the HUY market. Flybe would be the ideal choice, but their recent expansion at DSA would indicate this unlikely. Jet2 appears to be the only hope, and with a considerable capacity cut from 189 to 149 seats, the route might be more suited to this size of aircraft, bringing the load factor up to around 70%.
If nothing is achieved on the low cost front, it will prove negative on 2007s pax figures, as FR will have brought in an extra 25-30,000 pax for HUY in 2006.
Regards
Mike