I don't think we can read too much into the rumoured 4 year contract with Gate. We don't know the conditions that EZY were prepared to put into the contract and the clauses, but the fact that Gate found it more beneficial to pull out of it, when it accounted for such a large amount of their work speaks for itself.
It could be that the 4 year deal offered no guarantee of number of based aircraft, in which case in 4 years time, NCL could be a 2 aircraft base, and EZY are still getting cheaper turns than at they are now.
It seems to me that Easyjet took a gamble that Gate would fight to keep their main contract at any cost. Gate weren't prepared to do that, and now its hard to see where they will go next, or what kind of a rate that will get for handling at NCL. As I said before, Servisair have previously terminated a contract with them as it was supposedly unprofitable, so they will no doubt want more money from EZY, and then you wonder if Swissport will be interested at the cost of upsetting their main rival... the rapidly expanding Jet2.
I can't see gate's withdrawl benefitting Easyjet in any way unless another agent steps in. But is another company prepared to take the risk, in the hope of getting a foot in at Newcastle?
RTG!
ps. Does Gate Av operate from any other airports?