if there were any profits in the routes i’m sure Flybe would have snapped them up years ago!

Except that Flybe’s aircraft cannot fly into PLH, and they have jumped on routes operated by ASW from NQY.

Sutton Harbour reported annual profits from its ‘Transport’ division which included the Airport and airline. However, as I believe they have previously hinted, the Airport is loss-making, which suggests that the airline was strong enough to cross-subsidise that.