I have used Norwich airport for many years to fly to and from Aberdeen airport and Schiphol in the Netherlands. Using Eastern on the Aberdeen leg, I have been aware that their service seems to have been trimmed down rather than increased. On the Schiphol leg I’ve used KLM Cityhopper and I’ve never seen any increases in their schedules or a full aircraft either. There is a helicopter operator (Bristows) who I have used to travel offshore, but offshore helicopter travel in this part of the world is forecast to decline over the next few years and anyway, Bristows have competition off Norwich airport by CHC helicopters at nearby North Denes that services the same area.
Norwich airport can never be expected to be any more than a small regional airport whilst the ground travel infrastructure is so bad. The main railway station (with filthy trains) in the centre of Norwich can take almost an hour to get to by taxi when the city traffic is bad, which is very often the case! So I can’t see why in anyone’s wildest dreams they think they need class D airspace.
Just recently, I have been so sick and tired of the journey from Norwich Airport to my home near Ely (not that far away) and visa versa that I have started to use London airports. People travelling from Norwich airport are further annoyed by having to pay an extra £5 on top of their ticket for an airport development fund. So now I know what this fund is for, I will definitely be travelling from London!
Personally I would like to see Norwich Airport authorities getting back to basics by shelving silly delusions of grandeur and instead provide a better service for their customers. Then put all their other efforts into lobbying for the improvement of the dreadful land travel situation that has existed for far too long.