Cumbrianboy - yes EZY developed a new low cost market to NCE from the North West. Passengers who would not dream of paying a full fare business airline could now get to NCE. MAN management were very slow to wake up to the low cost airline boom. Where is the full fare airline service to NCE from the North west now? This is not the argument as regards DSA v EMA, HUY, LBA and MAN.
My point is NOT to do with the evolving markets of civil air travel or airlines competing that offer differing products to the customer. I am NOT talking about competition within ONE airport which is obviously great for the customer as it drives prices down while maintaining quality of service. What is terrible for the customer is less than ideal airports battling against nearby less than ideal airports (both airports offering the basic same product via similar airlines) to a finite catchment population (allowing for slow population growth). Ignore the deals to get airlines on board at various airports - as eventually they run out [a la MME]. The true test of airport sustainability is the time (and ease) catchment population. DSA's is not very big and not very wealthy. Yorkshire dividing up its limited catchment population when it is already under attack from NCL, EMA and MAN etc will just lead to failure of air transport service for the Yorkshire people in the future.