Originally Posted by
ATNotts
Ought not really be diverting this thread towards Cardiff, but so far as Qatar are concerned; 1) they aren't a commercial operators in the sense that we understand it, they are the Qatari's globally "willy" that they enjoy waving. 2) there was a straight fight between BRS (a commercial company) and CWL (a state owned "willy" of the Welsh government). One could throw a limited amount of privately generated capital at wooing the airline; the other state money - and the state incentive proved more attractive.
On a level playing field logic would have given the route to BRS, but as OltonPete pointed out, it still would be an odd decision given the relative proximity of Bristol or Cardiff and their conurbations to London and Birmingham.
It can also be a question of choice. Not everyone from places like Cardiff and Edinburgh want to fly from London and also Qatar's passengers coming in to places like Scotland and Wales will probably prefer less stops and a more direct journey not to mention that their will be people who will travel to places like Wales and Scotland for the first time because there is a direct flight or a one stop flight rather than going via the likes of Heathrow.