ANSWER IS (E)WHY?
The airlines are mad that they will LOSE BUSINESS. Let's LOOK for an answer that means the airlines will LOSE BUSINESS AS A RESULT OF THIS CHANGE, NOT NECESSARILY INCREASE COSTS. THAT WOULD BE A WHOLE SEPARATE QUESTION.
A -
The airlines’ customers prefer less congested airports.. Sure, the customers prefer it, but all flyers from continent B are in the same boat as they were before, so we have to assume they wouldn't care. All flyers from continent A don't have a choice but to go to airport Y...Are they going to now travel by boat just because the new airport is a 30 minute drive from the old one? NO. REMEMBER: These people are coming from another CONTINENT, on LONG FLIGHTS.
WRONG ANSWER.B -
It takes five minutes more flying time to reach the second airport. Again, like A, are flyers really going to care about a 5 minute flight difference on their 8+ hour airline flight? NO.
WRONG ANSWER.C -
There are fewer runways, and thus less capacity, at airport Y.POSSIBLY. If airlines are forced to land their planes at Airport Y, but there are few customers there flying out of Airport Y, then planes will leave with many empty seats. If X was the HUB airport, and now airlines are forced to switched to Y, flyers will need to become aware of the switch. The airlines aren't going to have all the same customers flocking to airport Y as they had flocking to airport X. HOWEVER, the airlines could always fly their jets from within the continent over to airport X. Though this would INCREASE COSTS, it WOULD NOT NECESSARILY REDUCE BUSINESS. REMEMBER, the question asks about reduced BUSINESS.
WRONG ANSWER.D -
Airport Y is located in a region with better transport links to the final destinations of many travelers from continent B.No effect on business. People aren't going to choose to travel by plane instead of boat or car just because the better transport links. This is just a perk for travelers coming from continent A
WRONG ANSWER.E -
Many customers traveling between continent A and continent B choose certain airlines because of the easy flight connections they offer at airport X.The governmental switch affects ALL AIRLINES from CONTINENT A, not just SOME. SO, ALL TRAVELERS from Continent A are FORCED to deal with the switch. Again, people aren't going to hop on a train with their family now because of the switch. Besides, travelers still have the option to fly DIRECTLY from continent A to continent B, BUT THAT WOULD affect the companies' business, as this could increase COSTS OF FLYING TO THE CONSUMER (THINK: NONSTOP ALWAYS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN 1+ STOPS)
KEEP IT.