cumbrianboy
Stobart effectively own Aer Arann/Stobart Air which operated DUB-SEN under the Aer Lingus Regional brand until October 2014. At that time, presumably with the agreement of Stobart, Flybe undertook to operate the route using an aircraft on which they had capacity ex-DUB to do so. This was a Flybe 'mainline' route (in other words not operated by Stobart Air branded as Flybe) so Flybe controlled its continued existence or otherwise.
It was pointed out on PPRuNe a couple of months ago that Flybe would not have that ex-DUB availability at the end of the winter timetable and that it looked a possibility (later shown to be a certainty) that they might drop DUB-SEN accordingly.
My contention is that Stobart should have been aware of that possibility and considered the impact on SEN's credibility if the DUB-SEN were to close. With time in hand they could have made plans to reinstate the route under Aer Lingus Regional branding of this core route, if I can use that word. Even if they had decided that DUB-SEN no longer featured in their plans Stobart could at least have taken steps to try to ensure it closed in an orderly fashion that did not antagonize passengers or harm the image of SEN. After all Stobart does have a partnership agreement with Flybe.
I other words Stobart had much more control over the situation than would have been the case if, for example, Sky Work Airlines chose to close a route.