Just for the record, the announcement of the closure of the BA Cardiff base was many months before December 17th.....
Not sure that is correct. My sources tell me that BA had announced that they were slimming down their Cardiff operation - not closing the base - during Spring 02, and as a result, Aviance had announced job cuts. A certain low cost operator at CWL announced on 20 September 02 that they were going to use Aviance, and had
secured almost 50 jobs and ensured that handling agent, aviance now has a future at the Airport.
Keith Nicholls, Commercial Director for aviance said that he was
...delighted to welcome bmibaby to our operation at Cardiff Airport. Before securing the contract, it was our intention to withdraw operations at Cardiff and close the station, due to a severe downturn in business as a result of our main Customer, British Airways moving a large number of it's routes. This agreement now means that all 47 employees' jobs have been protected, and the future now looks bright, which is wonderful news for all concerned.
Note the expression -
moving a large number of its routes - not closing the base, which was announced in the December. BA killed off Cardiff in more than one cut.....