What BFS needs is the devolved government of NI to have the authority to set its own aviation tax regime independent of the mainland reflecting NI island status, you can't get on a train or indeed drive to elsewhere in the UK from NI.
By dumping the APD on flights departing BFS, then long haul flights from BFS would become viable with people transiting from the UK mainland.
It is grossly unfair on people who live in NI that they have to pay more in APD to travel to the UK than someone in the UK would have to pay to AMS or CDG internal flights (from NI) to elsewhere in the UK should be exempt it is this that is doing damage to overall numbers.
WW moving to BHD was a big loss and will be difficult to replace, many have written WW off as irrelevant in the airline industry as just a bit player, but forget they are now a LH company.
I cannot see anyone going on BHX/EMA from BFS given that both are served by both WW & BE, MAN may be different.
BFS main problem is the same as CWL or MME, poor catchment area and competition from other more local airports with better road links.
Lets start a campaign to dump the APD
