Just to chip in my two pence worth as a regular IOM-London business traveller. When Aer Arann launched the LCY route with the 72 it was great as LCY is so much more convenient for me personally. Add in a comfortable aircraft, great crew who recognised and looked after regulars and a reliable service and you had a perfect combination. Result? I used their service virtually every trip.
However along comes the Aer Lingus Regional contract. Nice 72 goes and is replaced by a flying trash can of a 42 which even the crew were embarassed about. Reliability goes down (I accept this is from my persepective ie events that happen to me) and service becomes questionable, even after the flying trash can is replaced with a more respectable aircraft. Prices also seem to mysteriously increase. Result? I start to use FlyBe despite LGW's drawbacks.
Current situation? I went back to using Aer Arann to see if anything had improved and unfortunately I have had delays and cancellations and in my personal opinion the service has suffered. So its back to FlyBe for me, and with LGW improving (all be it slowly) under new ownership I'm afraid that for the time being Aer Arann have lost at least one formally loyal and regular customer.
