gate22 I cant see your point, I reckon that BFS have not been forthcoming with a strong offer on charges! Up to now I can see that TBI/Abertis wouldnt want to appease Ryanair at the detriment to there business with Easyjet (both LTN and BFS).
However, I am not sure that Ryanair would get the lions share of passengers on a BFS STN route. Today Easyjet have done quite well at maintaining the numbers on the route.
When FR came to the City airport the year on year growth rate was negative (-2%) if I can remember correctly, no doubt that fact coupled with Ryanairs desire to join Aer Lingus in the market meant that the City airport gave a strong offer. In addition, Air Berlin were exiting the STN route so BHD would have seen any Ryanair business as incremental rather than canibalising the existing business.
However, there is alot of focus on the Aer Lingus and Bmi numbers on the respective LHR routes from Belfast. I am not sure to what extent Aer Lingus are taking bmi passengers, I think that the competition at BFS draws Easyjet passengers (mostly) and at the City airport much of Bmi's loss of traffic are down to Ryanair.
Not sure what your opinion on that is.
I would agree with the comment about LDY and Ryanair setting up there (base). It seems that the schedule has been scrappy in that the timings are bizarre, in summer the LTN and STN flights were early and no attempt to make it morning and evening etc, and cut backs. A based unit would put a focus on the London Market and hopefully see a strong schedule that could satisfy the day return passenger.
While I can forsee a LDY base, I just cant see Ryanair exiting the Belfast market any time soon....