DommyDom, the belly aching about bases competing for aircraft at a time when expansion is slowing down is true.
Does ALC, SOF, ATH, BIA, DLM, CFU, MUC, CPH, ZRH, GVA, GOT, RAK, SSH, PMI, AMS and HAM not represent real commitment? I think it does. True, some of those routes have scheduled competition but Easyjet is in it to make money.......and on many routes, grows the market.
There is an awful lot of snobbery regarding the bucket and spade routes and those routes already operated by a "flag carrier". In effect, those "well healed" pax actually don't tend to spend very much on board which is quite important on long sectors such as AMM. In reality however, AMM in my opinion will be operated from MAN sooner or later but to totally disregard 5 aircraft growth (by Spring 2011) and 16+ new routes as non commitment is ludricrous.