Roocat,
And I neglected to mention, in my previous post, the suggestion of direct flights SOU to Poland.
Regarding your post, and as an example, BHX was my most convenient airport and I was a regular traveller to MXP and FCO. LCC's operated direct flights, except rather than MXP to BGY, however, for much the same price, if not cheaper, via a 30 minute to 1 hour connection in ZRH, Swiss operated the same routes in clean, comfortable, and friendly crewed cabins and one received a complimentary beer and and snack on each sector.
Now, go figure, with which of the two options a businessman might choose to travel with?
Another example, I was a regular traveller BHX/DUS, LH operated direct flights however, on one occasion, LH wre so expensive I didn't think twice about booking with KLM via AMS, I was going to be a bar for the evening anyway so it didn't matter to me if it was the bar in the Irish Pub in AMS airport or the bar in the Holiday Inn DUS airport!
If connections are too much for SOU pax to bear then perhaps SOU needs direct flights to every point on the planet, please let me know when the SOU to Sydney, Australia service may be starting!