4567
Unlike some airlines (Aer Lingus) opening bases at airports (Belfast) were there struggling to get good loads and aren't so stupid as to drop a route with great loads for one with lower e.g Shanon-Heathrow for Belfast-heathrow.
I disagree with your comments above, the Belfast/Heathrow route carried almost as many passengers in August as Shannon/Heathrow did in August Last year but Significantly Cork/Heathrow was up massively on the same months last year most of which are passengers who would usually be using Shannon/Heathrow.
The opening of a new base is not stupid, perhaps the timings is not ideal, ie as we enter into recessionary times. For Aer Lingus Belfast was as good a choice as any, the idea of getting a transatlantic service in is also the goal of management.
It is also very easy to carry out the post mortem after the media reports on low loads etc. from the outset the general word was that Aer Lingus from Belfast would be a success. Interestingly, Aer Lingus have a good handle on what proportion of its seats from Dublin get filled by passengers who live closer to Dublin than Belfast hence they know to some extent the opportunity that exists.
Jet2 has severly cut back its flying programme this winter from Belfast which will on many routes to be Aer Lingus' advantage.
EI-BUD