davidjohnson,
I can see how it frustrates you and many others but if you look at the history of Cardiff Airport you will see that the number of leisure passengers and outbound tourism far outweighs inbound business travellers and tourism.
The lack of business routes outside of the UK & Ireland and of course Holland isn't a huge surprise considering the dire straits of the South Wales economy.
As for inbound tourism then first of all the Welsh Government needs to look at selling Wales to the world. As for tourism routes then Cardiff Airport are working on these with the introduction of the Dusseldorf during the summer and also the Prima Reisen charters bringing inbound Austrian tourists which will hopefully expand pending loads.
You would also be surprised at how many jobs are linked to people leaving Wales and going on holidays abroad. How many staff have lost their jobs at the airport alone since the decrease in the number of Welsh people going on holidays? How many people are employed in the travel trade booking holidays abroad for people?
More airlines will be interested in Cardiff Airport the busier it gets and at the end of the day it's the case of taking people to where they want to go and most people want to go on holidays to the sun.
It is also the airlines who select where they want to go. The airport can only try and encourage them to fly from Cardiff Airport. Now if the airlines don't want to fly from Cardiff then there is nothing the airport can do.
Last edited by mathers_wales_uk; 16th Jul 2013 at 19:00.