Originally Posted by possibleconsequences
It was Ryanair that insisted the airport upgrade to CAT 111 facilities in order for them to base their aircraft there. Also, the number one complaint of all passenger surveys over the past years was that the airport was just a portakabin and airlines have indicated they will not base aircraft there until it looks half decent!
I agree wholeheartedly that it would be nicer not to have to pay for a trolley, car park drop off etc but regional airports do not have the clout to insist that airlines like Ryanair pay enough landing / handling fees to allow the airport to make a profit without charging for ancillary services.
That's just it though - they don't have the clout, so why play the game? There's no lasting benefit to passengers in an airport prostituting themselves before the likes of MO'L, bowing to his demands only to have him pull routes a year or two later because the same passengers who said they'd like a posh terminal in a survey decide that, actually, they're quite happy with a portakabin after all because the fares are £15 cheaper somewhere else.