EWR - what a shame. My only hope is the executive will enter into a tendering process like the LDY-LON one. Also its been mentioned UA leaving due to poor financial performance on the route, I believe they have never stated this and that it is profitable, however I know from the travel industry contacts I have the take up of business class is nowhere near enough.
Going down PSO route then I think they would need to set aside more than 9 million.
It is more about the loss of face and with it the loss of ability to attract other carriers that will be the problem.
For years wtih UA they have not attracted such carriers. Now not totally the airports fault but UA staying or going would unlikely make a difference because airlines flying to the States for example would demand the same level of support UA are getting and so on.
I realise that there was some support during that last ditch effort from Stormont (but moreso from Westminster) but that was too little too late and the deal was not disguised correctly to get it past the EC competition rules. The fault lies with the complacent approach by our devolved administration, who do not seem to understand the aviation market and the particular challenges we face in having a competitor with a land border. My hope is that now we seem to have a bit of purchase within the executive (you have to give it to the MD for shaking them up on that front) we might be able to get them to focus on some semblence of a strategy to attract airlines here.
Would have to wonder about how much notice either side had given and how it may of played a role.