This airport is doing itself no favours.
Its opening hours are terrible. If they don't watch themselves it is going to end up closing.
They NEED to open up routes with other airlines.
Just look at Knock opening hours for the summer/winter.
If no one wants to fly there then it a losing proposition remaining open for the hell of it.
Sligo/Waterford have SAR base and opening hours reflect this.
Kerry and Donegal have PSO services and their hours reflect that.
Like it or lump it Dublin is the major population centre on the island.
This means that most marginal services will be here.
Every where else is chasing scraps.
To a certain extent this will include the 2 Belfast airports.
If the UK taxpayer wants to artificially support aviation in the north then the EU would take a dim view.
This is a sad fact of life and wishful thinking will not alter it.