Aeromad - I dont wish to argue with you too much but i often travel on Flybe GCI to LGW and more often than not the Q-400 leaves after the ATR and get their 1st. Yes one flight today was quicker by ATR but that may be down to air congestion arriving into GCI at the time.
I do not have exact facts and figures on noise in the aircraft but one of my friends (best man at my wedding) works for Anglo Normany the Aurigny servicing arm and even he admits the ATR is louder espically the old AC.
As for the states buying the Airline to protect the LGW slots you obviously did not see Malcolm Harts comments in the Local press recently saying that rising Gatwick fees are the Airlines main threat. A threat is obvoiusly something that he feels can damage a Airline beyond repair. Yes the Q-400 is the same bracket as the ATR for fees at LGW but do Flybe not have more leverage on these fees being one of the main carriers at Gatwick.
On the Manchester front Flybe lower the amount of flights so as to run at a profit - as all companies should. A few weeks ago I being an Arsenal fan had tickets for Arsenal V Man Utd in Manchester on a Saturday lunch time. I looked 2 weeks before the match and all Friday night, Saturday morning outbound flights were full and with no return flights avaiable to the monday morning. With more and more flights operating from Manchester worldwide i belive there is enough capacity for 2 Airlines on GCI to MAN.
I have said before please look back through my previous posts competion is good for the public and keeps prices reasonable (I dont want to say low as if they go too low then airlines pull out of routes). I would much rather pay slightly more with Flybe to keep them on the route rather than my taxes paying for an airline that cant be run at a profit and keeps getting finacally proped up. I cant understand why if Aurigny lose money operating 5 flights a day GCI to LGW they decided that putting a 6th daily flight would make it more profitable. The 6th flight leaves 90min after the 1st and returns 90mins before the last.
Once again these are only my opinions and always try to see the other sides of an arguement