I think a lot of LS's passengers will be hopping onto the FR flights leaving LS with their already half full aircraft even less populated!
Half full aircraft?! You ever flown with Jet2?! I have never seen a Jet2 757 go out with less than 200 passengers on it, and I check them in every day. You guessed it TFS yesterday had 228 on it, (That a/c was 228Y - nightmare to check in but hey it was packed!). PMI had 230 on it (That a/c was 232Y) The GVA had 146 on it (148Y) the KRK had 148+9 (148Y!!) .... You get the drift?! The only routes that go out with less than 100 pax on are BFS and DUS & NQY but these vary hugely, one day can have 140 pax going to BFS, the next day only 70.
Jet2 is at capacity at LBA, simply if they had more 757's - they would fill them no matter where they sent them. Ryanair will open up more capacity, on certain routes but it isn't going to have a negative effect on Jet2, Ryanair have the ability to create new passenger traffic, which is exactly what they wil do at LBA. You also have to bear in mind that around 1/4 of Jet2's passenger traffic to the likes of AGP/PMI/TFS etc are sold through Travel Agents/Tour Operators. Jet2 are here to stay at LBA and I hope they win, Ryanair were not interested in LBA to start with, Jet2 paved the way for growth and made LBA what it is. The Airport directors know this, and yes it has come as a bit of a shock how Ryanair are tredding on Jet2's footsteps but Jet2 are stronger then all the critics think on here.
Per passenger flown Jet2 is more profitable than Ryanair, Jet2 making £9.14 profit per passenger, Ryanair making €8.51 profit per passenger. Let the battle commence!