What a shame, but I guess UK Domestic routes aren't politically correct any more. Brymon Airways made a huge success out of Derriford Airport back in the 1960's and 70's until BA took it over.

BA's accountants saw the route only as a "feeder" for the BA Long Haul routes and tacked it on as an add on at a very low cost - or entirely free if it was part of an inclusive BA Holiday package - surprise, surprise a few years later and the accountants were telling everyone the route was a loss-maker and sold it off to Air Southwest. The viability of a low-cost carrier for point to point business is negligible, but as part of a main airline like BA to serve the business travel community at Toshiba, Wrigleys Chewing Gum, Makita etc (as well as the MOD business to/from RN Dockyard Devonport), a route to London City would surely be worthwhile.

Brunel, in his wisdom, created a wonderful scenic railway route from far flung Kernow through Guz to Exeter and on to London - the Great Way Round. Unfortunately, the beautiful sea route doesn't allow high speed running, is considerably longer and frequently suffers sea damage, effectively putting the South West at a disadvantage to businesses. The road journey is tortuous, especially when the caravans hit the trail in the summer, with the motorway truncated at Exeter and the choice of the bottlenecked routes of the A30 or A38.

...............And this closure of Derriford Airport is progress?