There are 48 active airports (not including the Scottish highlands) of which i would categorise as follows:
10 of them are 'major' - i.e above 5m pax per year (BHX, LHR, LGW, STN, MAN, GLA, EDI, BRS, LTN, LPL)
11 of them are 'major regionals' - i.e above 1m pax per year (CWL#, NCL, EMA, ABZ, LCY, SOU, JER, BFS*, BHD, LBA, PIK)
13 of them are 'regionals' - i.e above 100,000 per year (EXT, DTV, NWI, BOH, HUY, BLK, NQY, DSA, GCI, INV, LDY, DND, IOM)
14 of them are what i would consider 'marginal' - i.e pax levels under 100,000 per annum with no hope of them achieving more than that level, thus they must exist for alternative reasons (MSE*, LYD, SEN*, GLO, ACI, PEN, SWN, CRL, COV, OXF, CBG, PLH, LEQ, VLY)
There are numerous airfields in the non-pax related category such as Biggin Hill, Farnborough, Bristol Filton, Boscombe down etc etc that do not handle scheduled or regular holiday traffic. But even at this level they contribute to the ecomony in some way.
In my opinion, and due to the explosion of LCC's in the early 2000's; 'regionals' have tried to promote themselves to 'major regionals' by attracting LCC's. But it appears not to have been sustainable. To be sustainable, it must work even during an economic downturn. The fuel price also means that only very strong domestics will be viable in the medium term.
*THESE COULD BE PROMOTED UP A LEVEL
# THESE AIRPORTS COULD BE DEMOTED IN THE SHORT TERM
Last edited by shamrock7seal; 19th Apr 2011 at 05:52.