Do pax numbers & catchment area mean that the airport is unlikely to prosper further in the future, or has in fact the BAA been holding it back, with custom lost to the likes of GLA & EDI?
As an indirect answer to your question Richard, this year like last I shall be trundling off to the central belt (last yr GLA, this yr EDI) to get on my bucket and spade charter. The route I want and the dates I want do operate from ABZ but the ticket premium of approx £200 per head means that the four of us will ignore our local airport.
The reason for the price difference comes down to competition, how much of that is related to BAA Aberdeen charges and how much to Catchment I'm not certain but I expect that ABZ could probably not sustain the pax numbers to support the competition never mind the state of ramp congestion. How much the catchment numbers will change with all the building going on in the area remains to be seen.
On the other hand I shall be merrily going through the doors of ABZ in the next wee while en route to various destinations as it is more efficient for my company for me to travel locally and that is why Aberdeen is currently successful, the business market.