Stoneybridge
I get the impression that Air Blue had no idea how long it would take for Saudi to give the green light.
BHX was very much plan B, along the lines of when bmi chucked their A330s up to MAN whilst they waited for access to LHR. The aircraft was always destined for elsewhere; just nobody knew when it was going to happen.
The fact Saudi gave the green light far sooner than anyone anticipated meant Air Blue had to cut and run from BHX.
I am in no doubt that some of the loads gave the carrier some pleasant surprises, but when put up against access to Saudi and its rich pickings, there really wasn't ever going to be any outcome other than what has happened.
My thoughts entirely
Nigel O
If they do come back perhaps a A319 might better suit..it took MAN some years to get established on an A319 before they very recently upped it to the A340.
When Air Blue started at MAN they had no long haul or wide bodied aircraft; just A319/21 and the flight had to make a tech stop - initially at Trabzon I think and later Ankara. The A340s didn't arrive in their fleet until about a year ago, allowing them to go non-stop.