There was a good local airline who had a great name on short haul, came and set up bases in England, launched high profile long haul from multiple bases and lost all credibility soon after
If you are referring to flyglobespan, the problem was not the routes it was on (apart from maybe Liverpool/Knock-New York), but the speed in which they expanded. They were adding routes quicker than they could add aircraft, and my example of routes bears no resembelence to the flyglobespan issue.
LS and easyjet are well in place to operate said routes from MAN. with a slight shuffle, they have the aircraft in place, the base set up behind it, and possible route subsidies to get off the ground.
Remember one bad season and you're dead, regardless of the ten previous succesful ones. Excalibur, flyGlobespan and even Laker collapsed after years of success.
Well, that could also be said for the situations outside the airline, not just the set up itself. There are too many ifs, but, maybes, not sures, it could happens in life. If we all took this attitude, nothing would ever get done!
The airliners.net patented magic dart board of route planning is not adding anything here. Get off the oche!
Its hardly a 'dartboard' of routes. LS already serve TLV from MAN, so are set up to operate mid haul routes, and with the route expanding, obviously have the know how of operating into the middle eastern countries.
Easyjet serve TLV so are also well placed to serve more middle eastern routes.
What you have to remember is, that a lot of euro routes are becomming saturated with competition and multiple frequencies, there will come a time when airlines like LS will have to look beyond the traditional bucket and spade routes, near city breaks.
Also, I know it sounds stupid, but having a holiday brand behind you could bebnefit. Tours around Jordan perhaps? After all, Thomson is starting MAN-eilat for holidays!
The only point I will give you is DME, Yes it is a bit of a wildcard, I aknowledge that, but maybe if someone brought a cheap ticket to DME, they would have another way to get to the middle east.
asking for a subsidy is not the best ground on which to lay future foundations
They wouldnt have to ask, its being offered. Also, I be a lot more routes than you think come about from subsidies. Look at Ryanair for example, once the deal ran out at MAN, they sped off into the sunset!
Also, Its not about handouts, but a small boost to get things off the ground whilst things get running.
I bet even your beloved BA has had its fair share of subsidies in its time!