As soon as Continental gained access to LHR, which they didn't have when they commenced their EWR-BRS route in 2005, I always wondered how long the Bristol route would remain. In effect it was shifted 100 miles east along the M4 to become the fifth daily CO LHR-EWR rotation at that time. They moved their LGW-EWR to LHR even before they moved the BRS route.
So far as I'm aware the CO B 757-200s always made it non-stop to EWR without the need of an en route fuel stop. Whether that was at the expense of load restrictions I don't know. If it was and was a regular occurrence it seems odd that CO ever started the route and continued to operate it for five and a half years.
The BRS master plan now nearly a decade old accepted (and still accepts?) that there was (still is?) no demand for a large network of long haul scheduled routes suggesting that four might be the limit, with three to the USA and the fourth to the Middle East. Long haul charter routes were a different proposition and the airport then put its hopes on the (then in production) B 787 and A 350.
Bristol as a city and city region region is one of the most prosperous and economically successful in the UK and has managed this with no direct long haul air connectivity (other than the former EWR route) from its local airport. It can be argued that its residents are already spoilt for choice: one of the world's biggest airports is 90-105 minutes away; the local airport certainly punches above its weight given its physical size and remote location with an abundance of short haul offerings and links to several nearby European hubs; BHX is 80-90 miles along the M5 with a growing list of long haul routes and carriers; there are smaller airports at CWL, EXT and SOU (and BOH if it gets its act together) within reach if, for whatever reason, none of the other airports mentioned fits a particular bill.
I'm certainly not knocking the idea of the return of a NYC route. It would undoubtedly be useful for some but would it be a game changer for the local economy which as I've already pointed out isn't doing at all badly compared with many other areas of the country? I remain to be convinced.
I endorse B_T's view that a NYC service is fine for the New York area but there are often better options to fly from the Bristol area to other parts of the USA. Like B_T my son sometimes used the CO service when he had business in New York but at other times he drove to LHR to fly direct to other US cities as he found this to be more efficient.
BRS is exceptionally good at what it does best: connecting with Europe and just beyond. B_T makes a valid point about not wanting a NYC area service brought back 'at the expense of richer connections into Europe'.
Is BRS possibly hindering the chance of a direct NYC link by attracting WOW?
I don’t think that any airline looking at a direct service would be put off by WOW’s presence any more than KLM etc with their transatlantic hub connections put off CO.
However, when I heard the WOW news my first thought was that the direct NYC route confidently predicted for 2016 had taken a step or two backwards, at least in timescale.