Twin Aisle, why would we be surprised by CWL reflecting the UK wide growth in Air Passenger traffic? What your figures do not show is frailty of the CWL growth vs. the robustness of that at other regional airports, as you say BRS is the outlier statistically, but has also had a disproportionate negative effect on the poorly run CWL. This effect only becomes visible when the going gets tough and CWL pax figures and airlines evaporate while BRS is less effected. Pretty much the same situation with the failing Coventry vs the successful Birmingham Int. There is only so much cake to go round.
LEISURELAD, if the IT operators did not include the supplement for operating at regional bases, then they would withdraw the services tomorrow. Every time someone tries it cheaper, they go bust. Turkey last year, Florida a couple of years back, others I can't be bothered to remember. Rest assured TCX and TOM make literally a 'few quid' on selling an IT package. So the more they sell the cheaper they get. Thus at LGW and MAN where they sell 10's of thousands of hols, its cheaper than CWL (or BFS or EDI or BOH theres no racisim in it) where its in the lower thousands.
Unfortunately, the attitude of saving a few quid and driving to BRS for your trip, is step by step, leading to the downfall of CWL. I don't blame you as I'd do the same if the numbers don't stack up, thats Capitalisim, red in tooth and claw!