EI should dump both BHX and MAN. 50% load factors in June! Drop 'em both like a stone tomorrow! Do something useful like double daily AMS and a daily to LGW - I have heard that FR are making a fortune on the sole daily flight to Gatwick. Cork can easily absorb another Gatwick flight.
It is only going to get more and more difficult for Cork to get any more new scheduled European routes - what chance does Cork have if Skyeurope have had enough in spite of 80% load factors!! I am sure there is going to be the odd new opportunity for Cork but it is probaby time to consolidate with what Cork has and to get as much out of what the place has by adding in extra frequencies on the routes that work.
Vienna and Brussels has been called for along with a destination to northern Italy - the question is will Cork people want to go there like they want to go to Spain and the Canaries? A double daily AMS would minimise the chances of a Brussels from EI but that is not to say RE could create a niche market like in the way the last few weeks of Jetmagic on Brussels worked out quite okay in the end in spite of the excesses of capacity in the very early days.
To my mind north Italy would be better served by Ryanair or even one of the Italian operators with 737-300 and CRJ900s (Air One??, Myair??) rather than Aer Lingus. Pisa or Venice would be my choice rather than Milan - there is more to do for Cork people in Pisa/Florence and Venice areas than Milan?? Says he tongue in cheek!
Just pray that the price of fuel returns to more manageable levels. Otherwise we are screwed - once again looks like we in Cork may pay dearly for being on the periphery of western Europe.