learjet50 - Well perhaps the well reported issues that Fly Be are having means they are not interested in expanding, meanwhile they are happy to mop up the extra profit from LBA to Belfast following the cancellation of the Jet2 service to International. With Flybe currently running 4 sectors a day to City from LBA, Linksair don't have to poach many to fill a wetdream.
As for IOM I don't move in the circles of high finance but as its not served by LBA it may well be a winner. Could quite fancy a weekend break there myself; at £129 return its not much more than a rail return from Yarkshire to London.