Jack1985, I can't see routes like DUB CPH which is going head to head with SK and DM, DUB BOD and DUB ARN doing significantly better than ORK BCN or ORK FCO.
I'd agree CPH will be a challenge for them, but ARN has done remarkably well and BOD holds its own check the loads. Of course they will do significantly better then ORK-BCN/FCO that's fact, Dublin has a huge catchment area that beats every Irish Airport hands down, people decide on price mostly over choice.
Part of the problem is the lack of choice from Cork with the same boring old routes being offered
I would fully agree with you, but could you blame Aer Lingus? they try very very hard to maintain year-round service too offset the poor Winter months, they have tried numerous times. Remember in 2006? We had year-round service to Alicante, Faro and Nice to name a few! Aer Lingus have realised the trends in the Cork market they've been here longer then the rest and know how its works, they give the routes the people want and the routes at Cork are what the people want. We may want the likes of BER, CPH, FRA, ZRH etc but we wont get them until Aer Lingus is ready to branch out fully again and take the risks it did during the boom, its dangerous to do so now as branching out can undermine your existing operation and turn it loss making relatively quickly. Aer Lingus do try, they've been good to Cork and I'm sure they will in the near future, they took a gamble with Brussels it has paid off and maybe this will give Management at Aer Lingus positivity to expand further into the likes of the big player airports from Cork, one can only hope this happens in the next 2 years.
Many people also complain about the significant fare differential between Dublin and Cork particularly if booked near the date of travel.
Mainly because Aer Lingus can take the risk at Dublin, Cork needs to pay its way for them with such a small fleet station here.