Sad demise of Plymouth City Airport – reasons??

Aviation is booming all over the world, airports are making great profits, airlines are flying with high capacity passenger loads, and the future of aviation is startlingly brilliant and financially sound.
So, why is Plymouth Roborough Airport closing?
One reason is this.
In May last year (2011) I needed to travel to Plymouth for a business meeting during the day. I rang THREE travel agents, who all informed me there were “No scheduled services to Plymouth” from Gatwick or London City.
So I went by train, making a very long day.
While in Plymouth enquiries led me to discover there WERE regular scheduled flights to Plymouth with Air Southwest to a good choice of destinations, including Gatwick and London City – both convenient for me. So why weren’t travel agents aware? It sounds like gross incompetence on the part of Airport Managers.
In the past year I’ve stopped doing business in Plymouth and now travel – by air – to Newquay, Exeter and St. Mary’s on the Scilly Islands with no problems and all provided with many services from municipal airports in the UK. So Plymouth has lost my business, and financial input to the coffers of the airport. If other businesses divert away from Plymouth due to the lack of an airport, that will harm Plymouth even more – there’s enough unemployment in the city as it is!
Plymouth was my birth city, and I am ashamed that those running the airport, close to major industries and a major hospital and accident centre are now looking to fatten their wallets by selling the land for housing development.
I also wonder how transplant organs will reach Plymouth’s Derriford hospital expeditiously if flights cannot land at Plymouth? Has anyone thought about that and considered the risk to life that this poses?
My heart goes out to all those made redundant because of lousy managers at Plymouth City Airport. I suggest you get out of Plymouth and move to where your hard work and love of aviation will help to reap you excellent rewards.
God bless you all.
Controller