@ IJM:
But don't forget that the catchment area of Dresden-Airport includes whole Saxony (approx. 4 milion), south Brandenburg (1,75 milion) and parts of Czech Republic (2 milion - approx. 10% of pax) and parts of Poland (3 milion - approx. 5% of pax).
In Berlin SXF the same, there you can count approx. 10% Polish and 5% Czech plus lots of pax from Dresden area (8 time daily bus service from Dresden City to the Airports of Berlin).
With and advanced product in Dresden and/or Leipzig (some more low-cost links) the number of pax in SXF will drop slightly. There is a lack of offer in Dresden, as a hogh demand quite exists.
So we are happy that the new link Dresden-Basel is put into service in DEC10 and hope that this is only the beginning - as I said there is a lack of low cost international routes.
In my opionion, based on advanced experience in the tourism business and airport services, the demand for flights to the BeNeLux (as business destination) is very high. Also routes from France and GB/Ireland may have success as Dresden there is known as a cultural highlight of Germany.
For the outgoing tourism (mixed with business) some major cities in Spain, Italy and Greece are necessary.
And don't forget the former Eastern Bloc, where Dresden is still today mentioned in every art and history class. The new DRS-SVO link is expanded every half year (summer 10: 2 weekly, winter 10: 3 weekly, summer 11: 4 weekly) and creating every month more pax. I'm sure that with a link to LED and Ukraine, Hungary and other eastern states would happen the same.