Bagso, Noticed this in the article about Southport.
"Victoria is ten minutes walk from Piccadilly."
Now I know I'm getting on a bit but I feel "sprint" may be a more accurate word than "walk"!
Actually, I thought it had been established that Southport was losing its direct Airport link but could well be mistaken. Hasn't Cleethorpes been reprieved though?
Regarding the comments by LAX_LHR and yourself, I think it was expected that an airport like BHX would pick up short haul routes from the locos that it had been missing - but credit to their development team for securing those.
However, I do take your point that MAN is no longer always the natural first choice when it comes to expansion of long haul flights. Whether it was inevitable that some airlines would look to other UK airports such as BHX and NCL rather than focus on more expansion at MAN is a moot point and there is perhaps some disappointment that MAN still awaits a 4th EK flight for example or that United spread their wings to NCL rather than start a rumoured service to ORD from MAN.
What I would argue is that it's good to see airports like MAN, BHX and BRS and the two main Scottish airports expanding rather than aviation growth just being concentrated in the S.E.
MAN has come a long way in the last few years with the growth of easyjet, Ryanair, Jet2 and TCX, not to mention those hard won long hauls to Hong Kong, China and Jeddah. Long may it continue.