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...?

 

Looks like Ros Jones has been re-elected by what was a very slim majority of less than 700 votes, but it’ll be the airport pledge that has saved her job. Looks like they’ll have to push on with reopening now unless Coppards independent financial review ends it.

 

The YP have published another article on the DSA saga, this time apparently an SYMCA spokesperson has confirmed to the YP that an independent aviation consultant has been commissioned to review the business case. The YP asked who had been commissioned but this wasn’t disclosed.

My concerns with this is it won’t be York Aviation for a start as they’ll be outlawed due to their SAU submission, is it therefore going to be a U.K. based consultancy? Are they actually going to gauge airline appetite? We know Ryanair have been quite vocal about it amongst others. We also must not forget that any consultant commissioned will be indemnified.

 

The YP have published another article on the DSA saga, this time apparently an SYMCA spokesperson has confirmed to the YP that an independent aviation consultant has been commissioned to review the business case. The YP asked who had been commissioned but this wasn’t disclosed.

My concerns with this is it won’t be York Aviation for a start as they’ll be outlawed due to their SAU submission, is it therefore going to be a U.K. based consultancy? Are they actually going to gauge airline appetite? We know Ryanair have been quite vocal about it amongst others. We also must not forget that any consultant commissioned will be indemnified.

Mr Coppard seems to have been pressured into a position where he cannot say no unless he is very brave indeed. What a large waste of money if he does - and a huge waste if he doesn't! Any Consultant of UK origin - to take your point - should already have a handle on the situation from an aviation point of view - they cannot ignore MOL's fairly brutal comments. Although the authorities steadfastly refuse to publish the FBC one assumes the Consultants will require to see it and try to separate Gateway East from the airport - a point made by the SAU. Maybe portions of the FBC have been re-written - and will the revue be truly independent? From the tit bits that have been made public it is fair to deuce that the majority of 5,000 direct jobs will not be at the airport - as a stand alone entity that's nonsense. How all this will unravel is anyone's guess.
Another element into the melting pot is that glancing at the seats already declared on CDC it seems that the current administration are going to lose control big style.
I noted on the 'non-political' campaign page regarding the YP article folk are now starting to realise that 2026 is not going to happen for TUI and some (but maybe not all) are starting to realise that they have been suffering from 'economy of the truth'.
It's going to be an interesting watch!

 

Mr Coppard seems to have been pressured into a position where he cannot say no unless he is very brave indeed. What a large waste of money if he does - and a huge waste if he doesn't! Any Consultant of UK origin - to take your point - should already have a handle on the situation from an aviation point of view - they cannot ignore MOL's fairly brutal comments. Although the authorities steadfastly refuse to publish the FBC one assumes the Consultants will require to see it and try to separate Gateway East from the airport - a point made by the SAU. Maybe portions of the FBC have been re-written - and will the revue be truly independent? From the tit bits that have been made public it is fair to deuce that the majority of 5,000 direct jobs will not be at the airport - as a stand alone entity that's nonsense. How all this will unravel is anyone's guess.
Another element into the melting pot is that glancing at the seats already declared on CDC it seems that the current administration are going to lose control big style.
I noted on the 'non-political' campaign page regarding the YP article folk are now starting to realise that 2026 is not going to happen for TUI and some (but maybe not all) are starting to realise that they have been suffering from 'economy of the truth'.
It's going to be an interesting watch!

I’m not sure whether the new makeup of councillors will change anything now that the project has been ratified by the previous lot?

The 5000 jobs thing is utter madness, Peel said something similar in 2005 and look what happened there. Fact is if it could have achieved that level of potential Peel would have been sticking with it, that they aren’t is testament to how unviable the whole thing is. Peel have placated the council by allowing them to lease the site, judging by how they ended things at Teesside they’ve probably made some quite

 

I’m not sure whether the new makeup of councillors will change anything now that the project has been ratified by the previous lot?

The 5000 jobs thing is utter madness, Peel said something similar in 2005 and look what happened there. Fact is if it could have achieved that level of potential Peel would have been sticking with it, that they aren’t is testament to how unviable the whole thing is. Peel have placated the council by allowing them to lease the site, judging by how they ended things at Teesside they’ve probably made some quite

Surely now though, the majority Reform Council, can, and hopefully will ask Jones lots of awkward questions rather than sit like stuffed dummies as she declines to answer anything and blindly pursues her dream vanity project. It's a very weird set up in Doncaster given the now Reform majority Council still seem powerless to stop the Lsbour Mayor from blowing the Gainshare budget for years to come..

 

Surely now though, the majority Reform Council, can, and hopefully will ask Jones lots of awkward questions rather than sit like stuffed dummies as she declines to answer anything and blindly pursues her dream vanity project. It's a very weird set up in Doncaster given the now Reform majority Council still seem powerless to stop the Lsbour Mayor from blowing the Gainshare budget for years to come..

Suppose it gives her and Coppard an ‘out’ now. As Reform basically control the council, but the Mayor is Labour, they can now quite easily get vetoed by the Reform councillors and this WILL be used in a few years to remind voters that the reason they didn’t get their airport reopened was because Reform blocked it - assuming that’s what happens of course.

I hate this so called ‘war on woke’, the ending of the remote working culture in various councils they have now taken control of claiming productivity issues (which is bollocks, honestly) and challenging national issues like illegal immigration which isn’t even a problem anyway but people think it is cos nobody’s actually bothered to tell them otherwise.

People are worse off because of Farage and his pals. They’re worse off in places like Doncaster because of their own ignorance. There is no way an airport will be able to flourish now that people have voted to be even worse off than before.

I don’t like to get too political on here but that’s the long and short of it. I’d happily take the reopening of DSA over what’s happened across the country yesterday.

 

A party saying what people want to hear doesn't always equate to them getting what they want to see. The US election is a perfect example as was the Brexit debarcle. We'll have to see how this all pans out.

 

A party saying what people want to hear doesn't always equate to them getting what they want to see. The US election is a perfect example as was the Brexit debarcle. We'll have to see how this all pans out.

4 years to the next GE. Lots happens in politics in that timeframe. It’s almost 3 years since Peel announced their intention to hold a strategic review. End of this year it’ll be 3 years since everything was switched off. Just cutting the grass and weeding isn’t going to get very far. There’ll be some questions when it comes to being up for vote in the cabinet at CDC, if it ever comes to pass.

People voted reform cos they’re bored. I’m sure that having a boxer as mayor of Hull and EY, and someone from the Liz Truss school of popularism in the Greater Lincs Mayor will play out as expected. Meanwhile Ros Jones clings on with a promise to reopen an unviable airport.

I fear for the future if this country.

 

Oh dear “travel chaps” on Facebook, the politicians have really got people’s expectations up:

“
DONCASTER AIRPORT IS LOOKING LIKE IT IS MAKING A COMEBACK, BABY — AND WITH A SHINY NEW RAIL LINK! Happy Bank Holiday Monday ALL

Guess who’s looks to be coming back on the runway? Doncaster Sheffield Airport is strutting closer to its grand return hopefully — and now they’re throwing in a direct rail link to the Lincoln Line and East Coast Mainline. Talk about a glow-up!

Faster, easier, smoother — getting to the airport from across the region is about to be a breeze. No more travel drama, just straight-up convenience.

More jobs, more growth, and a major win for local travel vibes. Yaaas to that!

Mark your calendars — reopening is expected in spring 2026!Travel Chaps we are very excited for this!

Oh, and TUI? They’re already eyeing a comeback. The tea is hot!

So… would you be flying from Donny again when it’s back? Spill the tea in the comments”

I have read multiple times now people stating there is going to be a rail link, the costs would be huge, as stated previously on here, the costs would make the £100m + opening cost look like a drop in the ocean

 

Oh dear “travel chaps” on Facebook, the politicians have really got people’s expectations up:

“
DONCASTER AIRPORT IS LOOKING LIKE IT IS MAKING A COMEBACK, BABY — AND WITH A SHINY NEW RAIL LINK! Happy Bank Holiday Monday ALL

Guess who’s looks to be coming back on the runway? Doncaster Sheffield Airport is strutting closer to its grand return hopefully — and now they’re throwing in a direct rail link to the Lincoln Line and East Coast Mainline. Talk about a glow-up!

Faster, easier, smoother — getting to the airport from across the region is about to be a breeze. No more travel drama, just straight-up convenience.

More jobs, more growth, and a major win for local travel vibes. Yaaas to that!

Mark your calendars — reopening is expected in spring 2026!Travel Chaps we are very excited for this!

Oh, and TUI? They’re already eyeing a comeback. The tea is hot!

So… would you be flying from Donny again when it’s back? Spill the tea in the comments”

I have read multiple times now people stating there is going to be a rail link, the costs would be huge, as stated previously on here, the costs would make the £100m + opening cost look like a drop in the ocean

Seems to be a lot of agents either employed by or affiliated with an independent travel trade company all sharing the same thing. I gather it’s getting a bit annoying to certain other operators who invest a lot of time and money into getting them on side to sell holidays. How many people are holding off booking something for S26 in the hope they can fly from DSA?

Think they should maybe wait until there is an official announcement about the airport. Seems to have quietened down after last weeks excitement,

 

Seems to be a lot of agents either employed by or affiliated with an independent travel trade company all sharing the same thing. I gather it’s getting a bit annoying to certain other operators who invest a lot of time and money into getting them on side to sell holidays. How many people are holding off booking something for S26 in the hope they can fly from DSA?

Think they should maybe wait until there is an official announcement about the airport. Seems to have quietened down after last weeks excitement,

If anything it gets engagement / comments in turn promoting their own business. Anyone wo actually has any sense / knowledge about the airport / what's going on knows this will not happening anytime soon / if ever. The rail link, pie in the sky. Been thrown out once before because not viable, just like the airport itself.. laughable.

 

If anything it gets engagement / comments in turn promoting their own business. Anyone wo actually has any sense / knowledge about the airport / what's going on knows this will not happening anytime soon / if ever. The rail link, pie in the sky. Been thrown out once before because not viable, just like the airport itself.. laughable.

We shouldn't be surprised. So many politicians wouldn't know the truth if it hit them in the face. Lies, lies and more lies. I hate how this country is becoming.

 

Really grown bored with the whole saga it is beyond a joke that it still has not been given the go ahead or binned whatever is right or wrong just make the decesion just get on with it like mentioned above the timescale to get pretty much knowhere still is farcical, this lies with one man who just needs to pass it or bin it ASAP but he has dragged his feet for so so long hoping it somehow goes away, it hasn't and won't he doesn't want to pass it but still won't can the project I find it bizarre.

The facts and figures tell one thing so unless someone somewhere has come up with a master plan that doesn't seem feasible but is well we all know the score. All this is doing is prolonging the saga at both ends.

 

Really grown bored with the whole saga it is beyond a joke that it still has not been given the go ahead or binned whatever is right or wrong just make the decesion just get on with it like mentioned above the timescale to get pretty much knowhere still is farcical, this lies with one man who just needs to pass it or bin it ASAP but he has dragged his feet for so so long hoping it somehow goes away, it hasn't and won't he doesn't want to pass it but still won't can the project I find it bizarre.

The facts and figures tell one thing so unless someone somewhere has come up with a master plan that doesn't seem feasible but is well we all know the score. All this is doing is prolonging the saga at both ends.

I think the SY Mayor is well aware that his Doncaster Mayor has dug and jumped in a huge hole and whatever decision he makes, he is likely to end up in that hole too. I think too he is hoping desperately that whatever the outcome, he can claim he was just following the guidance of expert consultants. If he was convinced he'd have signed it off by now .

 

Anyone think it’s odd that over a week since the local election result (on which Ros Jones was marginally successful) the only statement regarding the airport has been a rather oblique one from Oliver Coppard trying to tell the government to pay attention and give SY loadsa money?

I’d have thought the airport issue would have been raised by now? Is Ros Jones trying on manoeuvres now that the CDC is largely made up of Reform councillors?

 

Anyone think it’s odd that over a week since the local election result (on which Ros Jones was marginally successful) the only statement regarding the airport has been a rather oblique one from Oliver Coppard trying to tell the government to pay attention and give SY loadsa money?

I’d have thought the airport issue would have been raised by now? Is Ros Jones trying on manoeuvres now that the CDC is largely made up of Reform councillors?

I'd think she will say even less now. The last thing she needs is those pesky people who aren't her party asking her awkward questions..

 

A rather bizarre article has appeared in the YEP online regarding a decision from the Secretary of State to NOT CALL IN THE AIRSPACE DECISION.

For those with long enough memories you may recall that it was the people petitioning to reopen the airport who wanted to call in the decision to close the airspace. The CAA confirmed that the ACP DID NOT qualify for Call In and they left it at that.

So the thing they’ve been petitioning for to be called in has not been called in and they’re celebrating?

Like I say, bizarre but apparently this is great news.

 

A rather bizarre article has appeared in the YEP online regarding a decision from the Secretary of State to NOT CALL IN THE AIRSPACE DECISION.

For those with long enough memories you may recall that it was the people petitioning to reopen the airport who wanted to call in the decision to close the airspace. The CAA confirmed that the ACP DID NOT qualify for Call In and they left it at that.

So the thing they’ve been petitioning for to be called in has not been called in and they’re celebrating?

Like I say, bizarre but apparently this is great news.

Clearly there is a misunderstanding of what this means and oddly, folk are still being encourage to sign the petition! One might assume that the previous airspace will now be removed from the AIP and 'new' airspace (still at Stage 1 on the Airspace Change Portal) will be designed by the Operator and overseen by the CAA to meet the needs of the re-opened airport once it's licensed and assuming it meets the criteria in terms of CAT movements.

 

Clearly there is a misunderstanding of what this means and oddly, folk are still being encourage to sign the petition! One might assume that the previous airspace will now be removed from the AIP and 'new' airspace (still at Stage 1 on the Airspace Change Portal) will be designed by the Operator and overseen by the CAA to meet the needs of the re-opened airport once it's licensed and assuming it meets the criteria in terms of CAT movements.

Yes although LBA have been instructed to take into account DSA in any future ACP so it’s hard to tell what the thought process is as far as the CAA is concerned.

Coppard has released a statement this morning aging the same, that it’s great news because the CAA can now progress. They were petitioning for it to be called in because they wanted Secretary of Stare intervention to prevent the CAA closing the airspace. I think they’ll have a job retaining what they had unless they’ve got some real tangible interest from air operators that shows the airport will be busier.

 

Yes although LBA have been instructed to take into account DSA in any future ACP so it’s hard to tell what the thought process is as far as the CAA is concerned.

Coppard has released a statement this morning aging the same, that it’s great news because the CAA can now progress. They were petitioning for it to be called in because they wanted Secretary of Stare intervention to prevent the CAA closing the airspace. I think they’ll have a job retaining what they had unless they’ve got some real tangible interest from air operators that shows the airport will be busier.

I’m assuming the early information gained from the “experts” he has employed to carry out the review of the business case are coming out in favour of the airport. His wording alludes to the fact, it is now all about the relevant funding and it is going to be a positive decision in the summer.