Ryanair are entrenched at Stansted and have never expressed a desire to expand their Luton operation
How do you know that's true? - they may not have said anything publically but who knows what goes on behind closed doors - if you notice Luton has never had a tendency (unlike some) to declare its business before things are finalised - quite the opposite, it always waits until (or normally after) routes are are announced by the carriers. Also isn't the current CEO of Luton ex-Stansted - do we not think he will try to leverage any previous relationship he may have had with Ryanair (by comparison people seem to think it is only natural that the new Southend Boss will try to leverage his previous relationship with Wizz)?
I can't even see the reason for this dog fight at Luton.
I can see a few possible reasons:
EZY kept a token STN-CPH service for a time because:
1. substantial marketing support funds on the route would have been terminated or repayable to CPH if they had ceased the route completely before a certain date
or
2. they wanted to stop new route support funds becoming available (to RYR) if they allowed CPH-STN become a "new route" again (i.e. in competition with LTN).
Why did Ryanair choose Luton? - again there could be reasons:
1. Both carriers somehow qualified for new route support for CPH-LTN (but Ryanair could not for CPH-STN)
2. It was pure devilment by RYR to spoil EZY's party
3. the route planners in both these highly successful airlines have no clue what they are trying to achieve
7/8 x daily at LTN isn't sustainable
Maybe, just maybe, EZY are trying to send a signal to RYR to move it over to STN out of their hair - however having unexpectedly got their hands on it all will Luton let RYR go without a fight (what would you do?).
You can't ever say aviation is a dull business.
On the subject of Scandinavia is the SAS STN - Gothenburg floundering?