If that's true that Mr Meeson has said he's not interested in MME then so be it, but I'd just like to point out that this was probable years ago. Jet2 has only really found it's feet in the last 2/3 years with Jet2holidays/Jet2citybreaks (and I just saw Jet2villas advertised on Facebook yesterday)
Are they not at a point now, where they are large enough to have more "marginal" operations to serve people at their doorstep through Jet2holidays?
When they were solely a scheduled carrier I can understand them not wanting to poach, but (correct me if I'm wrong) the way I see it is that if they set up shop at MME, Teessiders may be more likely to choose Jet2 from MME than TOM/TCX/EZY/FR and yes, indeed LS from NCL or LBA
OF course airport make more on ancillary items like car parking and duty free. But who do you think is paying more for that? Your business traveller off to Amsterdam or Aberdeen for a day or two, or a family heading to the Costas for a fortnight?
I'm probably being overly optimistic but I'd love to see more come out of MME. It'll never compete in the big leagues, but I'm confident it can support it's local market