Onyx - Sadly, you have the airline industry's thought-process quite wrong (as davidjohnson6 has already indicated). Ryanair will likely never be motivated by an urge to serve an airport based on its geographical location (although this factor can rule a place out). Mayors and councillors concern themselves with civic pride. Airline companies concern themselves with profit opportunities. In the case of Ryanair, they have the whole of Europe to choose from ... not just regions of the British Isles. And certain established bases within the British Isles already have expansion agreements cemented in place with Ryanair. DSA and HUY may indeed be fine places, but would a dispassionate airline accountant identify them as Europe's most compelling untapped profit opportunity at this time? I suspect not.
And why would serving DSA "probably be cheaper than the last time it was tried"? Has there been deflation? Have airport running costs tumbled? Have councillors in Yorkshire and Humberside (facing budget cuts in common with other councils) decided that a substantial slice of their falling revenue should be dedicated to subsidising airline routes? Has Yorkshire's tourist board established a financial incentive package to attract air services? Is the area a compelling mass tourism destination or a hotspot for migrant labour flows? In the absence of these factors lining up for Ryanair at DSA, I suspect that the airport will be seen as less "tempting" than many competing opportunities across Europe.
It is a common misconception amongst the public that airlines are motivated to plug gaps on a map. They may give the impression of doing so at times - but be assured that profit opportunity is the true underlying incentive. Ask not where there is a hole in the network. Ask where there is a financially lucrative untapped market! And one which is even more compelling than all the other contenders across Europe vying for scarce air carrier resources.
Last edited by Shed-on-a-Pole; 25th Sep 2013 at 09:58.