BIG E In total agreement with your observations.
I note you used SXF as an example, unfortunately whatever destination you had put forward there's always someone to take a more pedantic and converse view. What is needed more than anything to assist NCL is strong growth in the regional ecconomy & at present it is possibly in real terms in reverse
The airlines aren't stupid and are constantly gathering data from all regions. The point made of NCL's attracting pax from the north & into Scotland one is a very interesing and relevant one, as undoubtedly this source has historically attracted pax in significant no.'s. I would imagine that any decline from this area must be viewed with great concern.
What I totally disagree with is that NCL's facilities being 'maxed out?' has any relevance whatsoever to projected falls in pax no.'s, a point that has been suggested. Most if not all of the top 10 UK airports are for that matter 'maxed out' at times. I have in the past had much to say in frustration at times with the facilities at NCL, bussing as opposed to piers & air bridges etc.and accept that the £5m from the flotation could have been put to better use
, but from what I have seen, other than possibly the luggage belt issue, the problems I note are predominantly people / staffing problems. Taking cost issues aside, then frustration is predominantly with queues, whether it be customs or security. There always appear to be plenty of desks, security machinery, it's just that they never seem to operate to capacity, and there are never 'enough' security & customs officers at the critical points of the hold ups. The terminal area airside albiet one great shopping centre in not in itself more unpleasant than any other in the UK, and infrequently at capacity and I can't see that it should cause any airline undue concern as to impact on their projected S08 operations.
It is too easy to blame facilities, I actually do not dispute any of Groundhands 6 points, all valid and in themselves all detracting from the current airport experience. However perhaps one should take a look at other regions, BRS has a very neat and at times stretched operation WITHOUT a pier and the obligatory holding lounges, I have no reason to believe that EMA or LPL have better facilities, BHX has but in terms of real growth has actually suffered from the competition of pile em in & sell it cheap.
NCL's position as one of the fastest growing in the UK was never going to last for any number of reasons and the slowdown that is now being projected was always inevitable.