So, the winter timetable is now in effect, with daily flights to Stansted, Prestwick and Liverpool; and four weekly to Birmingham. Much as we who support and follow the fortunes of the airport expected.
What has changed in the last few months, is the withdrawal of RYR from BHD. This may give LDY an opportunity of picking up some more passengers.
As an example, I recently looked at flight prices around the Christmas period travelling from the SW of England back to Northern Ireland. Flybe (from either EXT or BRS) came in at around £120 (although the website suggested the flights would be about £30, when taxes/charges and a £9 booking fee were added.....!) EZY from BRS to BFS came in at £100 rtn. When I looked at RYR, (before the cessation of ops at BHD) it was around £45 rtn all in.
So, what did I do in the end? Booked a train from Exeter St Davids to Birmingham International, and paid £38 rtn from there to LDY with RYR. Although this lengthened the journey on the England side of the pond, the convenience of landing at Derry, rather than BFS/BHD easily made up for this.
People from NI who have utilised the BHD RYR services (yeah RYR are crap blah blah blah, don't operate from BFS like all the proper airlines blah blah), may look at the cheap flights they offer and decide perhaps the drive to LDY is worth it after all. As I've said before, if LDY can capture 10% of the the former RYR traffic from BHD, that will add ~80k pax, which would be a welcome boost.
As for next summer, I believe Alicante and Faro will be back. It's just a matter of whether RYR decide to add one/or all of Palma, Reus and Malaga (or other wonderful places!). (N.B. I am no lover of RYR, but for getting from A 2 B, whilst knowing how to play the game, they're hard to beat). (As an aside, the recent RYR strikes stranded 300 pax according to the BBC, meaning ~150 pax/flight on the last Alicante/Faro operations of the season)
As for RE...............I fear 'tis but a matter of time. Shame.