Oh they are hopeful. The only significant change that I can see is that BFS has become the main London traffic hub at Belfast. Look at BRS and other UK airports the vast majority of passengers are European or further a field. Until the international market grows very significantly then its growth is limited.
The routes conference was held here and nothing has come out of it!
Apart from Norwegian, which probably arrived here to UA vacating, and FR who were at BHD already a few years earlier, what brand new airlines have started at BFS in the last 5 years? (VS seasonal)