Whilst drudging through the NEMA car parks for sim checks using my "crew transpot" (size 8's
) I have often been reminded of the old adage "where there's muck there's brass". No shortage of top-line motors in the NEMA public car parks & I used to see the same thing a few years back in NCL.
Funnily enough though, I reckon it is the pax from EMA/NCL/MME/DSA/LBA & other (perceived) "working class" airports that are probably more robust clients. As long as these folk are in a job they will continue to spend their dosh, unlike the "blue collar guardian/telegraph readers" who sit at home worrying about the FTSE100 or whatever it is that arouses them.
I think a large part of this retrenchment is also possibly down to simple overcapacity in S& Central England courtesy of Easy, Ryan, Jet2, Thomson & BMIBaby operating to everywhere the sun shines from every airport imaginable in the region.
Ryanairs tally of UK bases & destinations have always seemed a little excessive with some only 30-45 min apart, too much at any time methinks & now at this time it really is too much.