With the schedules at EMA being dominated by LoCo's, whose customer base is overwhelmingly leisure, EMA has done well to be reporting increases at all!
The other airports mentioned with higher growth have a very evident business mix in their passenger profiles.
EMA should still work hard to attract a couple of the legacy airlines to establish minimum 3x daily links to AMS or CDG or FRA - I know BD have the flight, but it does not have an LH code on it, therefore LH do not market the link to its hub and global network.
I genuinely believe with its large asian population, the East Midlands area could be of interest to the likes of QR or EY - they are hugely competitve with EK, who are present at BHX and MAN.
A major factor for QR or EY would be facilites though - there is not a chance in hell that they would even consider a terminal which risks its pax queuing in the rain!!
They would want space to install a private lounge etc.
So it is not only ramp space that hinders EMA - but a terminal buildin that is seriously flawed in its design and complete "unexpandability"
