Hello terrier.
Good to know you're still around and many congrats on impending new arrival and to Mrs terrier.
I remember speaking to you some years ago when I rang the airport to say I had discovered a glitch in their website that gave me access to all sorts of things I shouldn't have seen. It was quickly put right.
I too remember the promises of Flybe when they brought in the French routes to BRS. Quotes appeared in the local press from (I think) Mike Rutter that BRS would quickly have a Flybe network like Southampton. They obviously hadn't reckoned on easyJet.
I thought Flybe was against BRS taking over EXT after the former became preferred bidders. As you say, after complaints to the EU the OFT became involved over possible competition issues and BRS withdrew its bid. Would have been intriguing to see effectively one airport with terminals and runways sixty or seventy miles apart.
Moving on to KLM Citihopper, some years ago I used them regularly and was quite content most of the time, although on three occasions luggage went walkabout at AMS (eventually turned up) although one incident was the fault of the originating airport in the USA who put the wrong final destination code on the luggage.
I believe the Fokkers are the main problem with reliability and the F 100 will all but be phased out next year - just five left by then?
Citihopper now has some Embraer 190s with I think more to come. Whilst we may not see them on the BRS route regularly in the immediate future it may be that in due course they will become frequent visitors. That ought to improve reliability.