Doncaster Sheffield - Cargo Operations

[Aviador]

I thought it was fitting to have a cargo thread on the DSA forum given the relatively high number of unusual cargo visitors to the airport.

What cargo companies currently use DSA and are there any plans to expand?

 

[jac]

I thought it was fitting to have a cargo thread on the DSA forum given the relatively high number of unusual cargo visitors to the airport.

What cargo companies currently use DSA and are there any plans to expand?

Crikey "high numbers"..............That's stretching credibility a bit!!

Until last month I reckon we'd had maybe 9 or 10 dedicated cargo flights this year.

What cargo the airport does handle tends to be hold freight and since the demise of CHC & Danbrix last year Ad-Hoc flights have been very scarce.

Hopefully VAS are working hard to attract more cargo and certainly the slight upsurge over the last few weeks tends to suggest they are trying to expand this side of things.

 

[Aviador]

I've just been looking at the CAA passenger stats thread which made me wonder how the airport is performing on the cargo front. Are there any stats available for the amount of cargo the airport is handling?

 

[a300boy]

The best thing about Doncaster is that excellent runway which will allow freight operations of all kinds I really do think thats where Dsa is best concentrating its efforts. Leeds and Humberside do not have enough runway length for these operations so it is a massive oppurtunity.

 

[backtrack]

Unfortunately for DSA, its not all about runway length though...

 

[Aviador]

Unfortunately for DSA, its not all about runway length though...

It does make a difference with heavy cargo operations to be fair.

 

[ryan]

Unfortunately for DSA, its not all about runway length though...

Given that this is a cargo thread, I'd say yes it is! As mentioned above, you wouldn't see any large freighters, AN-225 for example, getting into LBA or HUY!

 

[White Heather]

That's true, but the cargo operations are not enough to keep an airport going in the long term. DSA needs more flights and passengers and quick. DSA is not competing with LBA or HUY on freight though - its main competitor is EMA, which is way ahead - and MAN to a lesser extent.

 

[a300boy]

Ema has built its cargo operations over many years and a lot of investment by the airport and operators has gone in. They are looking to put a short extension on the runway but have shelved it until a business case can be made to do so. I never thought Robin Hood would be able to take passengers from Leeds as to travel to it is no easier than travelling to Manchester which is where we loose most of our passengers to and taxis, various minibus operators and very cheap trains love to take our passengers over the hills to Lancashire. So we all have problems on that front.

 

[ryan]

That's true, but the cargo operations are not enough to keep an airport going in the long term.

I'm sure the management of places such as Liege, Leipzig, Vatry, Memphis and Louisville will agree with you!

 

[pug]

Looks like some positive news on the cargo front to be announced soon.

 

[lysander]

Sounds as if the excitement is the naming of (yet) another transit shed operator!

 

[Aviador]

Sounds as if the excitement is the naming of (yet) another transit shed operator!

Any chance you can elaborate? ardon:

 

[User0001]

Anglo European Cargo, who already operate out of DSA (handling freight on the current DSA offering of flights), have opened a transit shed in the hope of attracting more business.

It claims DSA to be 'the Norths leading cargo operation', but we all know that not to be the case.

 

[lysander]

I think some folk are putting the best slant they can on a bit of pretty un-newsworthy news! Once again, the 'sales-pitch' seems to be that Finningley can handle the biggest of aircraft.

 

[Aviador]

I think some folk are putting the best slant they can on a bit of pretty un-newsworthy news! Once again, the 'sales-pitch' seems to be that Finningley can handle the biggest of aircraft.

....and the longest runway, yes we know. So can Manchester and East Midlands down the road.

 

[pug]

Talk about 'major news'... Unless something else is happening. Anyone would have thought a majpr contract had been agreed with a cargo airline.

 

[lysander]

As a 'friend' on another forum stated...."any positive news is good news". :blush:

 

[pug]

Positive spin and local politics Lysander. Its certainly not bad news dont get me wrong.

 

[Aviador]

TheLocalYokel and I have often talked about airport 'spin doctors' at work at various airports around the country. Fair play to Doncaster airport if they can get the local rag to run a story about it. Anything that keeps the airport under the spotlight can only be a good thing, even if it is slow news day.