Skyman ans Onion,
"I would be very suprised indeed to see any expenditure directed to extending the footprint of the current facilities, but incredibly the press release actually talks up freight growth knowing that it's major 'aviation related' cargo operator TNT is witdrawing service."
Whilst it might be disappointing to lose the TNT flights my understanding is thay they plan to increase the size of their trucking operation and, therefore, the tonnage throughput. Do not confuse cargo tonnage and revenue with flown tonnage. Many of the reggional airports have healthy cargo tonnage with almost nil actually beinng flown. Even at the likes of MAN and GLA you will find flown tonnage is low in percentage terms. Just look up the road at total tonnage through the airport and what was flown, especially before EK started.
"The problem with MME is the people in charge, they are quite simply incompetent. The place has potential (as an airport) but it need people with drive, passion, knowledge, respect, credibility and compassion to succeed. At the moment they have people who quite simply are incompetent, uncaring, disrespectful and quite simply inadequate for the job."
Everyone is entitled to their opinon but such a statement would lead me to believe that you think that every senior manager employed at MME/DTV over the last 25+ years falls into this category as it is over this timescale that the airport has not progressed in line with the competition.
The airport has some very fundamental difficulties in relation to access, immediate catchment volumes, financial well being of the area etc. etc.
Anyone can propose new destinations and make reasonable arguments as to why they think a route will be a success but, unless they are prepared to risk their own money in proving themsleves right, they should keep their own counsel. Peel can only do so much in offering incentives for new routes or new operators before they have to draw the line so as not to damage their current customers.
Much better minds than mine have, over many years, failed to make the airport sustainably bouyant so, with the current financial problems within the UK I don't think it is about to change in the short term.