San Expiry
Putting my anorak on for a moment, FLYBE were operating BHX in Dec'04 just before they handed the rest to EMX, not sure when they started the route though, right anorak off.
A lot of this depends on how interested FLYBE are in the IOM. Perhaps EMX will let FLYBE have Manchester in return for them staying off the LPL route. The LPL route does have the guaranteed business of the hospital patients which must be a good revenue source The airport figures suggest that they are largely one passenger pool and this could be a way to provide price competition without the normal disastrous results. But will FLYBE be that interested, it will have a lot on its plate when/if the takeover of BACON goes ahead. You can be pretty sure that EMX will have been trying to find out what FLYBE's thought are.
Anotherflapoperator
You have needed a bigger aircraft since your far sighted management got rid of GMIMA