BFS V BHD V DUB
I think the problem of declining traffic and difficulty in attracting new airlines/routes at BFS is not unlike the problems currently being experienced at Cork. Until recently Cork was a long and difficult drive from Dublin, now with a new motorway link this is no longer the case. Its now a 2.5 hour drive where as in the past it could be anything up to 5 hours depending on the time of day etc. As a result Cork was very much the local airport for the people of Munster. Now this is no longer the case, with Dublin Airport being an easy bus or car ride from almost anywhere in Munster...(Kerry and West Cork being the exceptions),Dublin Airport which has always had a much larger range of routes and airlines is now the airport of choice for many. Galway Airport which once had 5 daily flights to Dublin and several routes to the UK and seasonal routes to the Continent is now closed due to the opening of a motorway to Dublin. Its raison d'etre ceased to exist.
For Belfast the problems are very similar, its even closer to Dublin Airport than Cork. I dont think Belfast as a city can attract longhaul routes similar to those at Dublin. That said, Belfast should be able to sustain a much better network of routes to Continental Europe than currently exists. Besides Amsterdam and Paris, most routes from Belfast are for the bucket and spade brigade. However, routes to important population and economic centres such as Frankfurt, Milan and Brussels etc should be sustainable in the medium term.
As to whether Belfast can support 2 airports?...I would think the answer to that is definetly not. A cold hard look at aviation policy in NI needs to be taken at Stormont. Something has got to give. In my opinion its going to have to be BHD. There is no room for expansion, it has night time restrictions and the runway cannot be extended. If the 2 airport policy continues, neither will thrive and may ultimately lead to the demise in the longer term of both and then everybody will have to trek to Dublin....I'm sure I'm going to upset all of those BHD supporters. But maybe its time to think bout the future of the city of Belfast and what is best for it.