Pandy
The long haul APD rate in economy class is now £71 and is due to rise to £73 in April 2016. Children under 12 will be exempt from APD in economy class from this May and next year those under 16 will also be exempt.
Charter routes to the likes of Florida and Mexico are obviously heavily used by family groups so the exemption of young people would to some extent nullify any advantage that an APD-free CWL might have over BRS on long haul charter flights.
Taking, say, 250 as the average load for Florida/Mexico, if everyone paid APD the amount would be just under £18,000 per flight. Exempt youngsters might reduce that to around half.
If the Wales Assembly Government was given APD powers they've already said they'd reduce the rate, to nil if they can afford to do it. If an airline passed on the entire APD saving it wouldn't make any more money
per se but might attract more passengers with a lower overall fare.
An airline choosing to pass on half the APD saving would gain a bigger take on a flight and still be able to offer a lower overall fare.
Although CWL seems to struggle with some types of flight, often city and business routes, its record suggests that summer sun and long haul transatlantic charter have always been well supported in terms of passenger numbers - how that translated into profitable ventures probably only the airlines/tour companies involved would know.
I know that my examples regarding APD costs on a flight are basic and somewhat simplistic because other costs between airlines and airports feature that can be negotiated but the BRS senior management is obviously seriously concerned about Wales gaining its own APD powers.
Middle East
?Direct flights to America from Bristol Airport on the cards by next summer | Somerset Guardian
This local newspaper report comments on the NYC story that's been the subject of recent posts in this forum. It also adds that the airport hopes to 'secure aeroplanes flying from Bristol to the Middle East within the next 18 months'.
Hope and expect are different animals and it may be speculation on the part of the newspaper, although such local journals aren't usually equipped with specialist reporters in aviation matters. It may be that they have included Turkey in the Middle East. I think that most people with an interest in the subject would believe that Turkish Airlines to Istanbul is much more likely than one of the MEB3 gracing the former RAF Lulsgate Bottom.