As LAX-LHR says, MAN has surprised Skipness in the past. His gloomy prognostications regarding Manchester's services have something of the dead hand of the type of accountant/banker who looks not at cost benefit analysis but at the bottom line alone. That attitude has killed many a promising business, including a number of airlines, when instant profit hasn't materialised.
Sound business is built on choice, service, building a customer base, generating loyalty and consistency at a competitive price rather than launching a product in a new market expecting instant take up, and large returns from minimal costs.
An interesting thought. EU deregulation and the removal of the constant BA and its forebears' objection to overseas airlines operating direct from MAN was accompanied by the rise of the implant travel agent, an easy target for airlines to flood with discounts to fill business class seats on often not the most convenient route, to the joy of company accountants and the annoyance of the passenger who has to toe the company line, even if this means getting up hours earlier than necessary, making inconvenient changes, often with changes of terminal, and getting home often a full day later than a direct service would allow.
I speak from experience and also know from having lived half my life in, and a large percentage of my business life promoting, the area that there is a great deal of business traffic potential for many routes if the airlines did not heavily discount business fares over London from provincial airports to help fill the cabins London is reputed to fill on its own.