Don't quite understand your point, Leeds Approach. The FlyBe flights from DSA aren't cheap at all when compared to Ryan Air, Jet 2 and Easyjet to the same destinations from LBA, MAN and EMA. Yet the figures don't lie. DSA and FlyBe must be doing something right to attract passengers even though cheaper options exist.
Dare I suggest that passengers in the region are finally discovering the "reality" that DSA is an easy airport to get to (at least by car) and its relatively small size makes the whole airport experience more comfortable than, say, LBA?