The only glimmer of hope I can see is this paragraph out of The Northern Echo's use it or lose it article:
"Mr Richmond is hopeful of securing a new service later this year after lengthy talks with unnamed airlines, but he stressed that the airport needed the region’s support to show carriers they could prosper at DTV."
That sounds to me like they had to beg, but nevertheless it's more or less a done deal.
What bugs me is that we have far more traffic/business than many other UK airports, and you don't see them threatening to close (Manston, Lydd, Carlisle, Dundee, Gloucester etc.) So what is costing MME so much?
Why isn't GA, Cobham, KLM, Serco and the rent from all the businesses on the site paying enough?