what makes you think they wouldn't have competed with easyJet directly anyway?
I know they had began discussions with Cork Airport in I think February of 2005 they wanted to compete right from the get go with easyJet and had done that with NOC/SNN-LGW. They were going to compete with them theres no if or but about that.
Ryanair may offer to bring in x million passengers a year if the airport offers a discount to airport charges, and they airport may well agree to that, but it has to offer those discounts to other airlines as well. The only reason other airlines don't start the same routes is because they can't compete with Ryanair.
Fair enough I'd agree with that.
I rest my case obviously I cant prove any of this and If I try anymore i'll probably be out of a job.