Of course it's true that LCY is an expensive airport to operate into. However, we should bear in mind that BE (in the British European days) made much of its LCY losses using -300s and smaller Dash 8 variants; 78 seats on a quieter aircraft is significantly more attractive. In any case there are enough F50, AT4, D38 and DH8 operations from LCY (SI to JER, LG to LUX and EZ to BLL being notable successes) to prove that, although partly due to its runway capacity, the charging regime must make these sorts of ops viable given the inevitably higher yields.
Now I won't get into fantasy timetable land but the following destinations might work, given no current route from LCY and potential use by previous BE LGW passengers as well as some who had used competitors' services to other LON airports (notably LHR) as point-to-point services:
INV: Competition from U2 at LGW/LTN and BA at LHR.
BHD: Competition from U2 at LGW/LTN/STN/SEN, EI at LHR/LGW and BA at LHR.
NCL: Competition from BA at LHR.
GCI: Competition from GR at LGW/STN.
NQY: Competition (thrice weekly) from U2 at SEN.
These on the premise of specific demand by business passengers and a twice or thrice daily service with early morning and evening slots using aircraft based elsewhere. It would allow BE to keep a reduced but notable London presence with higher yields off a lower (DH8) cost-base.
Last edited by Aero Mad; 25th May 2013 at 08:50.