A new airport.... South Yorkshire Airport City?

Doncaster Sheffield Airport Strategic Review Announcement​

Forums4airports discusses the latest press release from Doncaster Sheffield airport where the airport questions the future of the airport. The owners of the airport, the Peel Group have announced they are looking at their options as the group has decided the airport is no longer viable as an operational airport. Here's the press release:

"The Board of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) has begun a review of strategic options for the Airport. This review follows lengthy deliberations by the Board of DSA which has reluctantly concluded that aviation activity on the site may no longer be commercially viable.

DSA’s owner, the Peel Group, as the Airport’s principal funder, has reviewed the conclusions of the Board of DSA and commissioned external independent advice in order to evaluate and test the conclusions drawn, which concurs with the Board’s initial findings.

Since the Peel Group acquired the Airport site in 1999 and converted it into an international commercial airport, which opened in 2005, significant amounts have been invested in the terminal, the airfield and its operations, both in relation to the original conversion and subsequently to improve the facilities and infrastructure on offer to create an award winning airport.

However, despite growth in passenger numbers, DSA has never achieved the critical mass required to become profitable and this fundamental issue of a shortfall in passenger numbers is exacerbated by the announcement on 10 June 2022 of the unilateral withdrawal of the Wizz Air based aircraft, leaving the Airport with only one base carrier, namely TUI.

This challenge has been increased by other changes in the aviation market, the well-publicised impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and increasingly important environmental considerations. It has therefore been concluded that aviation activity may no longer be the use for the site which delivers the maximum economic and environmental benefit to the region. Against this backdrop, DSA and the Peel Group, will initiate a consultation and engagement programme with stakeholders on the future of the site and how best to maximise and capitalise on future economic growth opportunities for Doncaster and the wider Sheffield City Region.

The wider Peel Group is already delivering significant development and business opportunities on its adjoining GatewayEast development including the recent deal for over 400,000 sq ft logistics and advanced manufacturing development on site, creating hundreds of new jobs and delivering further economic investment in the region.

Robert Hough, Chairman of Peel Airports Group, which includes Doncaster Sheffield Airport, said: “It is a critical time for aviation globally. Despite pandemic related travel restrictions slowly drawing to a close, we are still facing ongoing obstacles and dynamic long-term threats to the future of the aviation industry. The actions by Wizz to sacrifice its base at Doncaster to shore up its business opportunities at other bases in the South of England are a significant blow for the Airport.

Now is the right time to review how DSA can best create future growth opportunities for Doncaster and for South Yorkshire. The Peel Group remains committed to delivering economic growth, job opportunities and prosperity for Doncaster and the wider region.”

DSA and the Peel Group pride themselves on being forward-thinking whilst prioritising the welfare of staff and customers alike. As such, no further public comments will be made whilst they undertake this engagement period with all stakeholders.
During the Strategic Review, the Airport will operate as normal. Therefore passengers who are due to travel to the airport, please arrive and check in as normal. If there are any disruptions with your flight, you will be contacted by your airline in good time.
For all press enquiries, please contact Charlotte Leach at [email protected]."

"Not great news for DSA or the region"

Should the government or local council foot the bill and provide a financial subsidy to keep the airport open, thoughts...?

 

Seems he’s been challenged on his page by someone claiming he (Chadwick) knows of the real problems the council are having with reopening the airport but is not telling anyone. Talk of power sources amongst other things, suggesting there is a quite significant funding gap. ‘All will be revealed in due course’ apparently. Not sure if the person posting it, who I understand has since had their comments removed, was involved in any way with the consortium offering to buy in. Who knows, but perhaps as @GolfFox alludes, maybe the recent spurt of ‘myth busting’ is a diversion tactic about something else that’s coming down the line?

 

Seems he’s been challenged on his page by someone claiming he (Chadwick) knows of the real problems the council are having with reopening the airport but is not telling anyone. Talk of power sources amongst other things, suggesting there is a quite significant funding gap. ‘All will be revealed in due course’ apparently. Not sure if the person posting it, who I understand has since had their comments removed, was involved in any way with the consortium offering to buy in. Who knows, but perhaps as @GolfFox alludes, maybe the recent spurt of ‘myth busting’ is a diversion tactic about something else that’s coming down the line?

The power source was one of the arguments the consortium put forward. Can’t really see why that would be an issue now if it wasn’t before when DSA was operational. Even more so with all the plans for the gateway east development all of which would require a sigyand robust supply especially if there are plans for manufacturing….A funding gap would certainly not come as any surprise however!

 

The power source was one of the arguments the consortium put forward. Can’t really see why that would be an issue now if it wasn’t before when DSA was operational. Even more so with all the plans for the gateway east development all of which would require a sigyand robust supply especially if there are plans for manufacturing….A funding gap would certainly not come as any surprise however!

I’ve been unable to adequately fact check so could be wrong but u understand when the airport closed its energy source was re-allocated on the grid. It would therefore be bottom of the pile for requesting reallocation. That’s my understanding, because naturally airports are energy hungry for obvious reasons and need robust access to power. Look at what happened at LHR not too long ago. Course it could be ‘hooked back up’ but the issue is that with the size of the development the council claim the airport will generate means that there is a £200million funding gap due to lack of necessary power.

 

Christmas cracker update from Ros Jones on FB:

“#SaveDSA – End of year update

As we approach the end of 2025, it is time to reflect on the progress that has been made as we work to fully reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

The main focus of the year has of course been to secure the long-term funding from South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and subsequent borrowing required from Doncaster Council. This has all been agreed over the past few months, meaning we can now progress with our plans to fully reopen our airport. I won’t cover areas that has already been said publicly, but just to highlight the works that have been completed and commenced include:
• Heyford House works - Completed
• Fire station works - Completed
• Fire engines – Tendered
• Air Traffic Control (ATC) Simulator – Ordered & being installed
• Air Traffic Control (ATC) Building - Scope of requirements underway
• ICT system requirements – Scope of requirements underway
• Radar – Invitation to Tender (ITT) – Initiated

We have also recruited to key roles including:
• Operations Director
• Head of GA & Cargo
• Head of Assets
• Head of Fire & Emergency Planning
• Head of Fire
• Head of Security
• IT Manager
• Air traffic controllers (Interviews Scheduled)
• Quantity Surveyor (Interviews Scheduled)
• Airport Security Manager (Interviews Scheduled)
• Senior Air Traffic Engineer (Interviews Scheduled)

2025 has certainly been a challenging year, I must reinforce that reopening an airport certainly isn’t easy, but I would like to thank all council officers who have been involved on this journey over the past 3 years, and welcome to our new colleagues who have joined and are joining the team.

I will put out a further update on Friday 2nd January setting out the next steps, so watch this space!

#DoncasterIsGreat #Delivering4Doncaster #saveDSA SAVE #Doncasterisgreat#Delivering4Doncaster#SaveDSA

 

Well I hope everyone on this thread has an enjoyable airport-free Christmas. The beer was flowing in pug-towers (annd surrounding pubs) and fortunately I have been lucky enough to secure a few more days off!

I’ve been out and about this morning, happened to bump into someone who I consider to know ‘stuff’. Talk of this EcoJetAir reportedly purchasing the Eastern assets came up. This person has moved on from Eastern, however they did offer an opinion that got me thinking. Humberside is the centre of the renewable energy sector in the U.K. at the moment, there’s a lot of work supporting offshore projects that doesn’t get the news like passenger flights do. I’m thinking the Orsted supply base at the airport (former police air service base) and the new Unifly facility that opened earlier this year and is growing with additional aircraft reported to be arriving). With that in mind, could we be seeing a true ‘sustainable aviation hub’ emerging under the noses of those trying to reopen DSA? Let’s not forget for instance that the Phillips 66 plant, reported to be making strides in renewable jet fuel, is less than ten miles from HUY as the crow flies and within pipeline distance. We have (questionable I know) paper airlines like Lygge aiming to link Humberside up with the ‘North Sea energy’ cluster. We now apparently have a green airline purchasing the HUY based Eastern apparatus which could start up relatively quickly and switch to the planned SAF powered ATR fleet as soon as regulatory approval is given.

Now a lot of this is conjecture, and I’m sure this EcoJet outfit perhaps have sights elsewhere, but it’s worthy of discussion I feel, particularly when DSA is remote to a lot of the things it’s purporting to be when/if it reopens.

 

planned SAF powered ATR fleet as soon as regulatory approval is given.

Given how quick slow it is to get anything done in this country, thanks to the incompetence of a over bloated civil service, useless unintelligent bunch of MP's, and a cabinet full of weak members with a PM with a backbone of a leaf, I would say they be waiting a long time.

 

Given how quick slow it is to get anything done in this country, thanks to the incompetence of a over bloated civil service, useless unintelligent bunch of MP's, and a cabinet full of weak members with a PM with a backbone of a leaf, I would say they be waiting a long time.

Possibly, but in this case it’s already in the hands of the CAA so I suspect any regulatory hurdles will be of a safety perspective. It’s not something I’ve been following and it’s all a hypothesis at the moment (it’s not even official that EcoJet have purchased the Eastern assets), but I think it’s an interesting slant that further undermines the premise of reopening DSA as a ‘sustainable aviation hub’ whatever one of those is.

 

As we are talking Eastern and Ecojet who knows what will happen - always full of surprises. However @pug you have some interesting points here that could as you say further impact DSA's plans. As if they weren't already facing a massive uphill battle already

 

As we are talking Eastern and Ecojet who knows what will happen - always full of surprises. However @pug you have some interesting points here that could as you say further impact DSA's plans. As if they weren't already facing a massive uphill battle already

I’ve posted elsewhere on this forum but my understanding is that RL wasn’t a happy bunny when the offer was made to take the Eastern assets for £6million. Now it’s not confirmed who the bidder is, but it is noted on Companies House in a statement by Orient Industrial Holdings (the holdings company for Eastern/Air Kilroe). If it really is this ‘EcoJetAir’ outfit then they do have solid financial backing, but I must say I’m not convinced at the moment and waiting for any official announcement.

However the point I’m making is that Humberside is effectively already a hub for sustainable energy, it’s close enough to the Phillips 66 refinery to benefit from SAF developments. It’s also won numerous contracts in support of the offshore renewable energy sector. So even without this aircraft-less airline the airport is making strides that simply cannot and will not be replicated at DSA.

Then we of course have the AENA news, the EMA market share in cargo growing with increasing connectivity to China and plans to increase throughput by 54%, and of course the CAA effectively telling CDC that they will have to apply for all the necessary airspace as a new airport. Someting tells me none of this will be factored in to Ros Jones announcement next Friday, but it’s all there to see. 2026 will be anything but a positive year for DSA short of some seismic shift in the market.

 

Corker on the Mechanic’s most recent post about 2025 key quotes (mainly from his own Facebook page) quotes with no substance just mear opinions of the local fan group.

Also just by the typing, spelling & punctuations, pretty much confirms that his other “long” rants about other airports etc have been used by Chat GPT which I’m sure isn’t a shock to anybody as it’s already been suggested

 

Corker on the Mechanic’s most recent post about 2025 key quotes (mainly from his own Facebook page) quotes with no substance just mear opinions of the local fan group.

Also just by the typing, spelling & punctuations, pretty much confirms that his other “long” rants about other airports etc have been used by Chat GPT which I’m sure isn’t a shock to anybody as it’s already been suggested

Well when things like that pop up, you just have to feed it into the splicer. Y’know, like the mechanic does?

1. The "Desperate Need" vs. "Market Choice"​

• The Quote: "Doncaster... desperately needs this airport to reopen."
• The Unpacking: This is a confusion of need with utility. Doncaster may "need" an economic engine, but the aviation market doesn't "need" a runway there. By saying the economy needs it, leaders are effectively admitting that the region has no "Plan B." It frames the airport as a magic wand for growth, ignoring the fact that if the demand were truly desperate, the private sector (Peel) wouldn't have walked away.

2. The "Emotional Consumer"​

• The Quote: "I cannot wait to use it again."
• The Unpacking: This is the most dangerous quote for a business case. "Wanting to use it" is not a commitment to pay a premium for it. If a resident "cannot wait" to fly from DSA but then books a £40 cheaper flight from Manchester or Leeds (AENA-backed and high-frequency), their sentiment is economically worthless. It’s the gap between stated preference (Facebook polls) and revealed preference (actual booking data).

3. "Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory"​

• The Quote: "Business leaders urging councillors not to abandon reopening plans..."
• The Unpacking: This is classic pressure-group rhetoric. It frames "stopping a bad investment" as "defeat." In reality, "victory" in this context is often just the reopening of the doors, regardless of the annual deficit. It pressures councillors to ignore the Opportunity Cost: what else could those millions in devolution funds achieve if they weren't being spent on a project that the private sector deemed unviable?

4. The "Late 2027" Goalpost Shift​

• The Quote: "Holiday flights could resume in 'late 2027'."
• The Unpacking: This is a classic "kicking the can" tactic. By pushing the date to 2027, it keeps the political capital alive through another election cycle without requiring immediate results. It also gives LBA (AENA) and Manchester even more time to solidify their hold on the post-pandemic market, making a 2027 launch even harder.

5. The "Political Football" Admission​

• The Quote: "It’s always been a bit of a political football..."
• The Unpacking: This is the most honest quote in the bunch. It confirms that the airport has moved from the Business Section of the news to the Politics Section. When an infrastructure project becomes an emotional "football," logic, load factors, and yield management are usually the first casualties.

---

​

"These quotes show that in 2025, we are still talking about the airport as a 'symbol' rather than a 'system.' While 'Team Doncaster' uses hashtags like #RegionalGrowth, the actual growth is happening at LBA and MAN.
To say we shouldn't 'snatch defeat from the jaws of victory' assumes that reopening is the victory. But if you reopen a site into a market where AENA has already consolidated the airlines at LBA, and the 'Propensity to Fly' remains low, then 'victory' is just a high-cost opening ceremony followed by a decade of public bailouts. We are letting nostalgia dictate regional transport policy."

 

A bit tenuous perhaps, but I notice that TUI have decided not to run their MPL scheme for 0-hero pilots in 2026 due to reforecasting of need in 2028. This will disappoint many as it’s an excellent scheme and highly competitive, the plan was to run it in 2026 ready for the trainees to be on the line summer 2028 and they’ve been telling people this at various pilot careers fairs recently so this decision is somewhat a very recent u-turn. This suggests to me they are NOT anticipating growth in 2028, it also suggests that the attrition they may have previously seen coming is now not going to come. It’s very much a pilots market at the moment in the U.K. so the fact they’ve decided not to run this prestigious scheme speaks volumes. Now is not the time to (re)open an airport.

 

Another belter from the Mechanic, himself I presume the spokes person for DSA and the whole project, messaging the Yorkshire Post informing them they are indeed wrong and posting miss information..

 

Another belter from the Mechanic, himself I presume the spokes person for DSA and the whole project, messaging the Yorkshire Post informing them they are indeed wrong and posting miss information..

Unfortunately for him he can not control the narrative of the media unlike he does with his Facebook page by only posting positives and distortion of the true facts…..Wonder if he will be posting a link to this recent news https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/bus...s-night-flight-hearing-costs-revealed-5459248
I suspect not…

 

Unfortunately for him he can not control the narrative of the media unlike he does with his Facebook page by only posting positives and distortion of the true facts…..Wonder if he will be posting a link to this recent news https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/bus...s-night-flight-hearing-costs-revealed-5459248
I suspect not…

I suspect he’s waiting for Ros Jones promised new year update which will probably drop this afternoon. All positive of course.

 

Another belter from the Mechanic, himself I presume the spokes person for DSA and the whole project, messaging the Yorkshire Post informing them they are indeed wrong and posting miss information..

Well he is probably incorrect himself in interpreting the YP headline as he does! "It's not uncertain 'if', it's just a case of when". The Mayor says she doesn't know - telling the truth for once - which to my mind justifies the term 'uncertain'. And in terms of 'if' - unless he has some information as to which freight carrier has definitely signed up-which I am sure he hasn't- then it might not be written in stone that freight will return certainly in the short term - thus 'uncertain' is probably correct.
However - all this petty nonsense is not worth reading - it's going to get worse as time goes by unless there is a huge announcement - which I doubt there is going to be and frankly it is not going to change the realities of the situation whatever they might turn out to be!
There are either going to be some ecstatic people - or more likely to my mind - some very disappointed ones!

 

I honestly do not understand this narrative that YP and LBA are in cahoots, its really strange, YP post negative stories on LBA all the time, you cant argue with stupid though, they of course are correct..

It seems his latest 3/4 posts haven't received the traction / comment or likes he likes to try and achieve, maybe people losing interest? maybe people are cottoned on to the dictator or a desperate mechanic..

Ironic since there is sooo much support for the airport but yet these posts get 50+ likes, pictures of my dog gets more.

 

I honestly do not understand this narrative that YP and LBA are in cahoots, its really strange, YP post negative stories on LBA all the time, you cant argue with stupid though, they of course are correct..

It seems his latest 3/4 posts haven't received the traction / comment or likes he likes to try and achieve, maybe people losing interest? maybe people are cottoned on to the dictator or a desperate mechanic..

Ironic since there is sooo much support for the airport but yet these posts get 50+ likes, pictures of my dog gets more.

It’s obviously an emotive topic and people put themselves into camps. Problems start though when people decide to ignore evidence that might be deemed inconvenient, make up stories to suit a narrative and continue promoting those narratives because this sets those people up for a fall down the line. I think we’re seeing support for the project fall, meanwhile others have just got bored of it and moved on. The campaign Facebook group has tens of thousands of ‘likes’ but i think these days the dwindling numbers engaging with these posts is evidence that it’s perhaps not as popular as what it may initially have seemed to be.

People are only interested in tangible news. Say for instance easyjet announced a huge base there, that would get lots of likes etc. however not many people are interested in these sporadic ‘updates’ that just say a lot without saying all that much.

Well would you believe it here’s the update;

#SaveDSA – New Year Update

As we look ahead to 2026, highlights include:
• Airspace – We continue to have regular meetings with CAA, Department for Transport & Aviation Consultants in relation to Airspace Change Process (ACP)
• Licencing of Aerodrome
• Airport Consultative Committee (ACC) – Chair appointed, first meeting to take place late January
• Terminal Refurbishment - Preparation and design brief being prepared
• Further recruitment of key personnel
• Further procurement of vital infrastructure and equipment
• Opportunities for local residents and businesses to get involved

As the South Yorkshire Airport City programme develops into the next phase of delivery, you’ll hear more from me about what actions are being taken to reopen the airport. You’ll also hear about;
• How we will increase our International and National Presence
• Increase Public Awareness
• Improve Stakeholder Engagement
• Develop our Brand
• Develop Website and Digital Presence

I will of course share further details over the coming weeks and months as we work to fully reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

Thank you for your ongoing public support because without your backing we wouldn’t have got to this place.

#DoncasterIsGreat #Delivering4Doncaster

Is there anything updated in this update?

 

It’s obviously an emotive topic and people put themselves into camps. Problems start though when people decide to ignore evidence that might be deemed inconvenient, make up stories to suit a narrative and continue promoting those narratives because this sets those people up for a fall down the line. I think we’re seeing support for the project fall, meanwhile others have just got bored of it and moved on. The campaign Facebook group has tens of thousands of ‘likes’ but i think these days the dwindling numbers engaging with these posts is evidence that it’s perhaps not as popular as what it may initially have seemed to be.

People are only interested in tangible news. Say for instance easyjet announced a huge base there, that would get lots of likes etc. however not many people are interested in these sporadic ‘updates’ that just say a lot without saying all that much.

Well would you believe it here’s the update;


Is there anything updated in this update?

My thoughts exactly, saying a lot without saying a lot at all. This “big update” teased really is.. disappointing

 

My thoughts exactly, saying a lot without saying a lot at all. This “big update” teased really is.. disappointing

I decided to do a Chadwick and feed it into a well known AI system. It gave me the following;

This update from Ros Jones is a fascinating exercise in "procedural optimism." It manages to list several bullet points that sound like momentum, but when you look at the actual mechanics of aviation regulation in 2026, it reveals just how far the airport is from seeing a commercial tailfin.

Here is a breakdown of what is actually being said between the lines:

1. The "Airspace" Paradox​

The Mayor mentions "regular meetings" regarding the Airspace Change Process (ACP). This is a massive red flag.

• The Reality: The airport's former controlled airspace was formally withdrawn from the UK Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) in late 2025. It has reverted to Class G (uncontrolled) airspace.
• The Hurdles: To get commercial jets back, they must complete the CAP1616 process from scratch. As of early 2026, this project is only at Stage 1 (Define). Given that Stage 3 (Consultation) alone usually takes months and the CAA decision (Stage 5) can take a year, "regular meetings" in 2026 suggest that the 2027 opening for passengers is on life support. You cannot fly a Boeing 737 into uncontrolled airspace on a scheduled basis.

2. The "Terminal Refurbishment" Smoke Screen​

The update says a "design brief" is being prepared.

• The Critique: In the world of construction and infrastructure, a "design brief" is the very first step. It means no contractors have been hired, no planning permissions for internal modifications have been granted, and no physical work has started.
• The Opportunity Cost: This terminal has been dormant since 2022. Re-commissioning security scanners, border control e-gates, and baggage handling systems to meet 2026/27 standards is a multi-million-pound task. Celebrating a "design brief" in 2026 is like a chef celebrating that they’ve started writing a grocery list for a dinner party that was supposed to start an hour ago.

3. The "Airport City" Pivot​

Notice the shift in language toward the "South Yorkshire Airport City" programme.

• The Critique: This is a classic "Plan B" move. If you can’t get the airlines to return, you pivot to real estate. By focusing on "opportunities for local businesses" and "Airport City," the council is hedging. They are preparing to justify the £138m–£160m of public investment by building warehouses and offices (Gateway East) even if the runway remains largely quiet. You don't need a functioning airport to have a "business park," but "Airport City" sounds much more ambitious to the voters.

4. Soft Metrics vs. Hard Assets​

Nearly half the update is dedicated to "soft" promotional activity:

• Developing the "Brand"
• Improving "Public Awareness"
• Creating a "Digital Presence" (Website)
• "Stakeholder Engagement"
• The Reality: Airlines like TUI or Ryanair do not decide where to base a £100m aircraft based on a council-run website or "public awareness." They decide based on landing fees, fuel costs, and proven load factors. Every penny spent on "developing the brand" is money not being used to lower the astronomical risk for a carrier to return to a failed site.

5. Recruitment and Committees​

The appointment of a Chair for the Airport Consultative Committee (ACC) and "recruitment of key personnel" are administrative requirements, not operational milestones.

• The Critique: An ACC is a statutory body for noise and community complaints. It’s a box-ticking exercise. If the "key personnel" being hired are administrators and PR leads rather than Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs) or specialized airport fire crews (who are currently in short supply nationally), the airport isn't actually getting closer to being "licensed."

It did get a couple of things wrong. Technically there’s nothing stopping airlines from flying scheduled 737s in uncontrolled airspace. That would be up to any airlines internal risk assessment and wouldn’t form part of their commercial decision making.

The bit about ATCOs, we know that recruitment is ongoing but why didn’t she mention this specifically? It’s important.

The reason I use AI is to highlight its limitations as much as anything else. However, it does pick out subtle wording that may otherwise be missed. I certainly didn’t pick up on the ‘design brief’ being worked on for the terminal for instance. Does this mean they haven’t even ordered the equipment yet? Are they stalling whilst the commercial negotiations are ongoing? Why is there no mention of commercial negotiations? They’re the important bit. They can engage with ‘stakeholders’ all they want, but if that doesn’t include airlines and freight companies then it’s all academic isn’t it.