As mentioned other airports are anouncing new destinations/routes BHX are not and there seems to be no prospect of any for 2011.
Passengers numbers have been on on average decline for 5/6 years.
Each to their own but the underlining trend for some time in my opinion has not been good
I know im quite late to this discussion, but may I put my 2 cents in.
I think the problem BHX has, other than being too close to LHR/MAN, is that:
a) It has relied too much on empty promisies
b) fell in with the wrong crowd.
What do I mean by that? well:
point a)
BHX brought FR in withe the promise that x number of aircraft would be based here, and that xxx amount of passengers would be brought to the airport. This obviously hasnt materialised the way BHX would have liked, but not only that, its starting to push the other carriers out.
Whilst I know it cant be proven, KM have just pulled out, and FR have a direct route to MLA, whilst KM is reducing frequencies across the board, its only BHX that has suffered a total pull out. The same could be said for WW, and maybe EZY not adding more routes at BHX (I wonder if EZY saw BHX as an option after their EMA pull out?)
Also, when AI pulled out, they promised they would be back. Its been a fair while now, and still no sign. BHX's main India catchment is ATQ, and with all AI longhauls using DEL now, the return of AI looks ever less likely.
point b)
BHX went after the wrong carriers in my opinion. Whilst I know sometimes gambles can pay off, and Im no CEO, but having airlines like Flyblue/whoosh (whatever they were called), air Syhlet and Hellenic Imperial were dodgy prospects to begin with.
Instead, maybe they should have tried harder to get maybe Jet2, or easyjet? Both carriers have thrived at MAN, and have increased year on year (easyjet up to 6 aircraft and jet2 up to 9 IIRC). Where is BHX? 4 based RYR units?
Just my own opinion, and whoever they want can blast me for this, but maybe its time for BHX to stop spending money on pointless re-names, pointless rebranding and actually spend the money on getting airlines in?
Never in history have I heard an airline say ''oh, I like that airports new logo, lets go there!''. Offer reduced fees, or maybe help with advertising the said route, and that will work much better!