Not lightly as all you get from Belfast is a flight to a hoilday resort.
BFS will never compete against DUB on any route. Currently what has BFS got that DUB dosn't???????????
Yes and the reasons you have posted above are soley due to Tax rates, not long ago there was a lot more long haul flights from BFS... i said "if" things had been reversed, for example of ROI had high tax and N.I didn't then the poster would no doubt be calling for a drop in tax for fairness.... The only reason people travel to DUB is because they have to or its cheaper... if it was a fair tax system up here to compete you can be assured that there would be less who travel to DUB from N.I...
i used to travel to Canada quite often, last time i went was with GSM sometime between 2004-2007.... have flown out of DUB once or twice in my life, but have vowed not to do so again the drive annoys me, especially after a long flight.. now if only BFS had a couple more direct flights during summer... oh wait, we would if APD was dropped / reduced... as far as i remember APD is why TCX had planned not to run any long haul this year, however they are performing a handful of flights, which seem to be at full capacity, if not closer... which proves the demand is there.
The tax is harmful in general, to all 3 airports in N.I, not just BFS.. there could be some real growth if something changes..
Obviously you support DUB and will type anything to dismiss N.I to get a fair tax system, i know i would more than likely be negative in my posts if N.I had no tax / cheaper tax and ROI was wanting to drop theirs