Whilst it's a fascinating app, FR24 isn't a very good tool to use in such an analysis. Not everything shows up on it (though I grant you a lot more does than used to be the case) so apparent gaps may not actually be there. You also get the phenomenon sometimes of Embraers and Dashes seemingly coming to a halt after passing Stockport and being overtaken by an Airbus or Boeing!
Good points Curious Pax, although I was aware of those issues. I sometimes manage to keep an ear on the RT as well as an eye on FR24!
Interesting list of diversions from LBA today which includes EDI, PIK and about 5 to NCL. The latest look to be off to LPL and EMA.
Again, the points made by you and Phil about costs being cut to the bone to keep shareholders happy and provide cheap fares for pax, I'm sure are right.
What some of us are questioning though is why such a stringent diversion policy only seems to be applied by MAN and all too frequently. Other airports such as LGW and BHX also have profits to make, dividends to pay etc. yet both these airports accepted diversions yesterday - LGW from LCY despite its own problems, and BHX a multitude from various airports.
If the answer is solely down to lack of stands, (which seems unlikely on a Monday afternoon), wouldn't that raise a separate question as to why MAN struggles for parking space for aircraft on a regular basis at peak times? They know how many a/c are likely to be based in peak summer, and in winter the extent to which Jet2 and the like want to park up a/c.