I don't think it is too important to get excited/upset about the connections at MAN or GLA with Flybe. If travellers find something useful to them, let them use it. In my crystal ball, I can see that if Stobart bought out Flybe it would add two or three routes transferred to SEN, mainly to boost the pax figures, and for no other reason. The two additional airlines to be announced before September? Well, Powdair has already been confirmed, and the other I have already mentioned in earlier discussions because the airline had visited management twice. Interested but not commited until the airport improvements are completed. As for another 2 operators for next year, best left to see if anything actually happens.
Still no indications from the local eyes as to how the loads are on the new routes are doing. Must wait for the CAA monthly stats to be published. As for a 4th Airbus from EZY for 2018, still no news on that, but Stobart seem confident they can reach their target 2.5 million by 2019.