Teesside were riding on the crest of an apparently unstoppable wave of expansion when they got Globespan. They had an appalling reliability record yet still filled their aircraft. They fell between all of the classifications of charter/loco/scheduled(flag) carriers and I think that lack of definition contributed to their demise.Schmoose the charter carriers that everyone knows and "trusts" and leave the speculation to someone else.
As for the terminal and carpark appearing empty on Top Gear, I take it you do not know about how TV programmes etc are edited together.What you don't want when you are doing an apparently unscripted and ad lib conversation whilst walking and being filmed are members of the public interupting and walking uncontrolled into shot. Much better to wait for a clear space and run it for however many takes it takes to can it. Even if they had arrived with dozens of other people it would have taken an hour to set up the shot and the others would have been well gone. It's not real life , it's all scripted and rehearsed or retakes and I don't think airlines would take any notice at all.
I like the programme but this wasn't one of their best.