Wait a minute. This doesn't stand up to any scrutiny at all.
1. Since when has a charter flight been a pre-cursor to a scheduled flight?
2. Chartered by a local WM travel agent - why didn't they charter a Thomson plane or a Titan / Hi-Fly or what ever plane?
3. CZ are not taking any risk on these flights - they are paid to fly them by the charterer. It's a world of difference to go from no-risk to full risk as they would have to if it was a scheduled flight. How can it be a 'toe in the water'?
4. Over on the Liverpool thread, Iberia are operating a series of charters over the summer. Are they too putting a toe in the water as a pre-cursor to a scheduled route? I don't see anyone on that thread trying to make that non-sequitur.
I sniff a publicity stunt by the airport here: 'look - we promised you flights to here there and everywhere when the runway extension was open'.
Get a local travel agent to do the donkey work / they get the photo opportunity / publicity / everyone thinks the millions were well spent / the flights come....and go. Quietly.
Good for the spotters as well.