mattfalcus:
BA even based a Vanguard and BAC 1-11 at Teesside for a number of weeks to train crews
Let's get real here. BA hasn't operated any form of the Vanguard since 1979 and basing one of them at Tees-side for a few weeks 31 years ago really doesn't give any guide to what's commercially possible for DTVA now. Additionally, while Tees-side was always a key diversion airport for Leeming when it was an active Tornado base, those days are over. And with Tees-side identified today as one of the regions likely to be worst affected by public spending cuts, the prospects of local demand for mass air travel saving the airport are not good. The takeover of Peel Airports operations by VAS only means there will be even more emphasis on every aspect of the airport making a profit, which means less staff, lower standards of service, and much greater effort to extract money out of traditional areas of airport operation (flying schools, Cobham). Other airports get round this these days by fleecing the public for car parking and shopping, but DTV hasn't got any punters so shopping and car parking aren't a viable source of revenue.
It's not a pretty picture but as soon as you hand over responsibility for airports from local authorities to (ultimately) some overseas asset-stripper you have to accept the consequences. Airports are a local public infrastructure asset so if you turn them over to private interests you open yourselves to all the risk associated with that.
NS