Regional airports
Swinging the lamp, in the old days airports were owned by Councils. It didnt matter if they made a profit or a loss, they were supported fianancialy due to local pride.
With the transfer to private companies the financial bottom line became important.
With the growth of so called lo cost carriers these smaller regional airports became more attractive. Instead of the odd flight to Jersey and pehaps a Palma charter the smaller regional airports took off. The increase in flights lead to bigger overheads as facilities and staff had to be increased.
This is most noticable at Bristol, Liverpool and Newcastle where it had used to be spot the movement but not so now.
With the boom eventualy comes the bust, lo cost carriers find the major airports more attractive at the expense of the smaller regional ones as they offer cheaper deals, this is happening now.
As flights retreat rom the small regional airports these airports now have the problem of biger overheads, dwindling flights and passenger numbers and have private owners who are not in a position or have no desire to subsidise them.
There are to many airports offering flights to the same places, competing for the same carriers and something will eventually give.
Ryanairs and Easyjets bases remind me of British Airways and British Air Services ( Cambrian/Northeast/Scottish/Channel Islands) with bases all over the place, this was in time reduced to the major airports and is now just London. I suspect the same will happen.
I think some of the smaller airfields have outpunched their weight in recent years and the problems are coming home to roost. Look at Coventry for an example.
Centre cities