Forget IOM, Easyjet has already found that domestic routes don't bring in the yields at Southend. While it is natural for people here to concentrate on passenger numbers it is the all important yield and the profit or loss each route brings to the airline that focuses minds.
It could be argued that by reducing the frequency of some routes actually protects that route from being withdrawn but if passenger numbers drop in proportion to the reduction in service because passengers are only chasing the cheaper fares then that presents a problem.