The decision by Eastbourne Borough Council to charge visitors £5 to get in to an enclosed seafront area was branded variously a 'disaster', a 'fiasco' and 'insane'.
Police kept an eye on the situation as a delegation of furious stallholders confronted council officers on Thursday afternoon.
While business improved with increased visitors on Saturday and Sunday, takings remained dramatically below previous years.
Paulo Ferreira, of Grand Prix Legends, told the Gazette he expected to make £500 to £700 in sales on Thursday, the first day of the show.
Instead, the trader said, as he looked out onto a half-empty beach, he had made £50.
The trader, who travelled down from London, paid £1,600 for his pitch, plus petrol and accommodation.
He said, "The main opinion, going round talking to traders, is Eastbourne has shot itself in the foot."
He said three or four empty spaces had opened up by the second day, as traders cut their losses and left, and families were saying they would never come back to the town after being asked to pay for the airshow.
A family of four would have paid £20 to get in, a charge which Paul Coates, selling designer leisurewear on the seafront, said had caused people to stay away in their droves.
He said, "People are spending less when they're here, saying, we have paid £5 to get in, we are not going to spend more money just for the sake of it."
He expected to take £1,000 on the first day but made just £75.
John Worrall and Jim Downing, of bungee company Superjumper, said their fourth year at Airbourne would be their last.
Jim said, "There is no-one here. We have seen people walking away when they see they have to pay.
"The guy on the gate said there were more people going away than coming in."
Another bungee operator, Bryan Benning of Eastbourne-based Skyjump Leisure, said, "I lost 85 per cent of business this year compared to last year.
"My takings were so low that I had to release five staff members, employed locally, and my takings did not cover the three remaining staff members' wages, not even to mention the pitch rent fee."
Steve Andrea, owner of Wish Tower Cafe, which is within the area fenced off, said, "It was a financial disaster. The regulars stayed away due to the charge.
"Let's hope lessons are learned and the council has a change of heart for next year. Perhaps us and all other traders should have been consulted beforehand."
However, it seemed some visitors were not put off by the £5 ticket price and £5 programme charge.
Chris Dixon, of Clarence Road in Eastbourne, strolling along the Pier, which was free to enter, said, "I was happy to pay the £5, quite a lot of air shows across the country have been cancelled because they are not affordable.
"There is a heavy insurance cost and I think people have to pay for Airbourne, otherwise it would be a continual loss for the council."
Peter Griffin, visiting for the week, said, "I think £5 is fair enough. If you go to other air shows they cost a lot more than that. I do not begrudge it at all."