The city will currently be trying anything to get business including AL, Jet 2, anyone. When FR were operating they had record passenger numbers and record losses, see the 2009 accounts. They tried to encourage EJ to do more than LTN, that didn't work, bmi and baby are now in diffs with uncertain futures and the total losses of the company that own them is now over £160m, including the unfortunate purchase price. If Aldergrove and COD closed tomorrow they still wouldn't be able to make enough profit to make a return on the investment. Anything they are doing is short term not strategic long termism.