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.
All points valid.
Oh and just another its not even the first regular regional charter service from the UK to China - that goes to Airtours Group when they operated series of Manchester - Sanya flights and holidays some years ago !