I wonder that if someone did start a new London route, would RYR take it thick and then destroy the competition by re-introducing a 2 x daily STN or LTN. They did this at Shannon in January. After pulling the majority of routes from there, Aer Lingus were interested in taking up some of the axed routes, only for RYR to then reinstate some of their own more popular routes to stop them. Certainly one to think about.
I passed through the airport yesterday and I must say the newly resurfaced runway and new taxiways are looking fantastic. Also with the installation of a second ILS approach, coupled with the terminal getting an expansion, LDY is a very nice airport for operators to use. Maybe this explains all the current interest in starting new routes (FAO, EDI, MAN) as the airfield is a very attractive place and a lot easier for pilots to use.