While MAN clearly has Emirates sown up perhaps the 'battleground' here is the Asian market as it affects India and Pakistan. BHX has stolen a march on MAN with Air India coming in initially X4 each week; and now with Air Blue coming in within days could it be that MAN wants more of a slice of this cake - at the expense of BHX?
Well it depends if MAN were ever in with a shot with Air India. for BHX to steal any march. I know MAN have been very busy trying to woo Jet Airways over Air India, and I do wonder if AI have every really wanted to serve MAN? After all, it was never in with a shot of this long rumoured 'hub' idea a few years ago (it was just BHX/DUB/CPH/BCN), and the noises made by AI before BHX was announced made it seem they had very clear and defined ideas of which airports they wanted to serve. Not once did I hear 'we will launch either BHX or MAN'.
As for Air Blue, both BHX and MAN will be eating their cake as seen as MAN-ISB has been served by Air Blue for over 8 years now, not much to steal really.......