Now if you read what I said, in response to the suggestion of EI starting a once daily flight LDY/LGW, would it be successful?. Well if I lived in Londonderry and I wanted to go out for a day trip to London, or a specific time during the day, and the EI flight is not that time-I will drive for an hour to BFS and fly from there. So this multiplied up causes alot of loss in passengers. So then you are talking about EI starting a 2 daily to gather up maximum market share. So then is LDY an area capable of 2 EI and up to 2 FR flights a day to London. I don't think so.
Or are you suggesting the likes CO are going into Carisle, simply because its a small regional airport, with 3 daily returns to Newark.
But my point was that a lot of people will fly from Derry because its their local airport, and it a lot more convenient than having to travel to Belfast. They will simply use the flight times available. Also correct me if I'm wrong but if you don't have a car, do you not have to get the train from Derry to Belfast and then a bus to BFS. Surely this takes a lot longer than an hour.
Also, once daily London routes do fine at other airports. EI recently opened a once daily Knock to Gatwick service despite the fact that Ryanair already operate a twice daily service to Stansted from Knock. It seems to be doing fine with a 67% load factor in the first month or operation. Also, Ryanair operate a once daily Kerry to Stansted service despite the fact that they also operate a 3 times daily service from Cork to Stansted which is only around 2 hours away. Both services do very well. Also, Ryanair will operate once daily services to East Midlands, Glasgow and Birmingham during winter 09/10, despite there being multiple daily services from both Belfast Airports. These all seem to be doing fine. I really don't see what the problem with operating a once daily service from Derry to Gatwick would be.
FYI, Ryanair only currently operate 7 flights per week between Derry and London, and will operate 8 flights per week during next winter. Their flight timetables are useless for day trips. To say they operate a twice daily service is kind of misleading.