172Driver
On short business routes (LHR-AMS or FRA are prime examples here), frequency and convenience trump everything. Do you really think people will want to spend 1 hour boarding for a 45 min flight?
It won't come down to what the public want. It will be down to what the governments such as the EU decree. It will be interesting to see what the take up will be like with an extended Eurotunnel service.
Capetonian:
if the operators can fill them profitably. If not, would said governments subsidise the losses in order to show that they value their environmental protection strategies?
As I said above, it will come down to decree. And we all know the EU trumps national governments.
Anyway, if the airlines can operate 20 flights profitably then why can they not profitably carry the same number of passengers in fewer aircraft?
I have to say, I am not one of the tree hugging/yoghurt knitting sect. I am merely commenting on what seems to me to be logical.