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...?

 

Since when has Southampton been in Dorset, I always thought it was in Hampshire.

Another example of not fact checking.

 

Mechanic posted a link on the fan page about TUi watching closely what is going on with DSA..

Right isn’t the whole industry? What does this even mean? You can jump to the conclusion it’s because they’re so desperate to fly from there (which I haven’t overly seen) but I think every airline and airport will be watching it just out of pure madness / entertainment. All airlines watch each other, likewise for airports. Even if direct or non direct competition.

There was also a mention of Wizz and a spokes person from Wizz gave the generic airline response. No indication of any interest either way. But again airlines keep their cards close to their chest.

Again the mechanic spins this as a positive / win.

2028 is a long way away. No doubt the goal posts will change. Nothing like flogging a dead horse

 

Mechanic posted a link on the fan page about TUi watching closely what is going on with DSA..

Right isn’t the whole industry? What does this even mean? You can jump to the conclusion it’s because they’re so desperate to fly from there (which I haven’t overly seen) but I think every airline and airport will be watching it just out of pure madness / entertainment. All airlines watch each other, likewise for airports. Even if direct or non direct competition.

There was also a mention of Wizz and a spokes person from Wizz gave the generic airline response. No indication of any interest either way. But again airlines keep their cards close to their chest.

Again the mechanic spins this as a positive / win.

2028 is a long way away. No doubt the goal posts will change. Nothing like flogging a dead horse

The mechanic is trying to stop interest waning so will naturally seize on anything neutral or with a hint of positivity. I'd like to know what he and other DSA supporters REALLY think of the chances of a successful reopening.

 

Mechanic posted a link on the fan page about TUi watching closely what is going on with DSA..

Right isn’t the whole industry? What does this even mean? You can jump to the conclusion it’s because they’re so desperate to fly from there (which I haven’t overly seen) but I think every airline and airport will be watching it just out of pure madness / entertainment. All airlines watch each other, likewise for airports. Even if direct or non direct competition.

There was also a mention of Wizz and a spokes person from Wizz gave the generic airline response. No indication of any interest either way. But again airlines keep their cards close to their chest.

Again the mechanic spins this as a positive / win.

2028 is a long way away. No doubt the goal posts will change. Nothing like flogging a dead horse

They won’t be watching for entertainment, I think there will be some airline directors hoping it’s successful but they won’t be willing to commit to it themselves. There will be others watching what happens because it will be added competition if TUI do decide to go back, with the third party brokers probably being incentivised to fill flights from there making the job of promoting alternatives a little trickier. Wizzair like all airline PR teams will say the same thing, they would never disclose anything to the press as they will use the cloak and dagger of commercial sensitivity to negotiate improved deals at incumbent airports, as will all other airlines.

One to watch is easyjet here. They could in theory be a major launch customer for DSA 2.0 but it would require a lot of confidence that the catchment area would support it. They’re getting into bed with LBA at the moment and their previous toe dipping exercise was hardly successful. Indeed some might say that they well and truly burned their bridges with some of the former commercial bods at DSA but that’s not a story I’ll elaborate on here.

I would like easyjet at DSA personally, I was genuinely disappointed they couldn’t make it work before. As a consumer my interest is in getting flights to where I want to go from the most convenient departure point. I use HUY when I can for the AMS and I used DSA numerous times including in the first couple of weeks of operation. As a passenger I liked it, obviously I’d prefer more choice from Humberside but there are limits to the scope there. However I’ve just seen too much and heard too many conversations that mean I will never believe DSA can ever be a success no matter what metric you apply. For that reason I fully believe it should remain either closed or used for more limited aviation purposes.

I think there will be a pyrrhic victory for Chadwick in September, but it will be a loss for everyone eventually and the uncertainty will only persist.

 

It would be fascinating to know what the holidaymakers really understand about what they are supporting and the consequences if it reopens and is not a success. Perhaps the vast majority couldn't care less so long as some holiday flights are restored. I get the same impression in respect of the Chamber of Commerce where you might expect a more balanced view especially without sight (one assumes) of the Business Plan - if indeed it is yet finalised.
Interesting post regarding the row within CDC where the Mayor has been accused of misleading the electorate with the Spring 2026 opening promise - of course she must have known with the amount of work still to do and the equipment to procure on long lead times that it was pie in the sky. Pathetic 'defence' on the campaign page that 'things change' but also claims that 'he' also was party to the deception.
Roll on 9th September when all will be revealed.

 

Below is an update Ros Jones posted on her Facebook account this morning;

See statement below which I released last week to the press regarding Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

START
We have always stated that there are interdependencies out of our control in relation to issues such as Airspace and Aerodrome Certification.

We expect to see Freight services commence in Summer 2026, followed by passenger flights towards the end of 2027, meaning we should see plane tickets and holidays on sale by late 2026 flying from Doncaster for the winter 2027/28 holiday season, but again this is all dependent on several factors including Gainshare decision, Airspace, Aerodrome Certification and negotiations with airlines.

In relation to Commercial Passenger flights, we have been reviewing plans over the last few weeks in advance of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Gainshare decision whilst they were carrying out additional due diligence works.

I want our airport fully operational as soon as possible, but we must follow the correct process.
END

Further updates will be provided following the Gainshare decision (scheduled for Tuesday September 9th) and at the next meeting of Doncaster Council Full Council.

#DoncasterIsGreat #SaveDSA

The ‘Winter Holiday Season’? Who advised her on this?

 

Below is an update Ros Jones posted on her Facebook account this morning;


The ‘Winter Holiday Season’? Who advised her on this?

You would think that she had learnt her lesson by now! I noted an interesting post some time ago - can't remember whether it was the campaign page or elsewhere but a gentleman who clearly used to work for the freight handling company and knew his stuff was posting that actually the freight side might be more longwinded to set up than the passenger side with scanners etc. let alone constructing a freight integrator. Bearing in mind that freighters require the same fire cover as a passenger aircraft mid 2026 again sounds very optimistic! I suppose they might acquire loan equipment and although I haven't seen my contact for a month or two, at that point they were apparently going for new equipment with a lead time of at least 12 months and no order had been placed. There surely would need to be meaningful requirement for some form of ATC and NAV equipment as I doubt 737s or larger would want to be scudding around low level following an uncontrolled NAV procedure! Bad enough having a Citation pop out of the clouds in front of you at 1500 ft over the Vale of York following the procedure into LEA! However - she knows best !!!

 

You would think that she had learnt her lesson by now! I noted an interesting post some time ago - can't remember whether it was the campaign page or elsewhere but a gentleman who clearly used to work for the freight handling company and knew his stuff was posting that actually the freight side might be more longwinded to set up than the passenger side with scanners etc. let alone constructing a freight integrator. Bearing in mind that freighters require the same fire cover as a passenger aircraft mid 2026 again sounds very optimistic! I suppose they might acquire loan equipment and although I haven't seen my contact for a month or two, at that point they were apparently going for new equipment with a lead time of at least 12 months and no order had been placed. There surely would need to be meaningful requirement for some form of ATC and NAV equipment as I doubt 737s or larger would want to be scudding around low level following an uncontrolled NAV procedure! Bad enough having a Citation pop out of the clouds in front of you at 1500 ft over the Vale of York following the procedure into LEA! However - she knows best !!!

Freight flights of any value are unlikely to commence before suitable cover is in place. Not only might it not be possible due to regulatory requirements but all airlines will complete risk assessments and the risk of operating with limited ATC provision and reduced fire category, not to mention security etc will mean that any freight that needs moving will just go through EMA until everything is in place. Whether that’s possible for Summer 2026 or not I’d have no idea but I suspect it’s pushing it a bit.

 

Below is an update Ros Jones posted on her Facebook account this morning;


The ‘Winter Holiday Season’? Who advised her on this?

I just asked Co-Pilot AI how to open a new airport in the UK, and it responded "Ros, I've told you a hundred times it's not going to work!"...

But seriously it really begs the question who is giving them the impression that a winter opening is the best idea. I'm going to guess no-one in the aviation industry.

 

The YP are pumping out the articles today, obviously getting lots of comments on them. One such article discusses how Coppard thinks DSA will work well alongside a thriving LBA and EMA. Then goes on to say people should be flying less. Then says but they should be flying from DSA.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport 'needs to get elbows out' to take on competition, says mayor

Doncaster Sheffield Airport will have to “get our elbows out” to re-establish its place among the UK’s passenger airports should the reopening take place, Oliver Coppard has said.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk

Work that one out!

 

The YP are pumping out the articles today, obviously getting lots of comments on them. One such article discusses how Coppard thinks DSA will work well alongside a thriving LBA and EMA. Then goes on to say people should be flying less. Then says but they should be flying from DSA.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport 'needs to get elbows out' to take on competition, says mayor

Doncaster Sheffield Airport will have to “get our elbows out” to re-establish its place among the UK’s passenger airports should the reopening take place, Oliver Coppard has said.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk

Work that one out!

The comments I've seen on the DSA page is everyone moaning about going over to MAN.. maybe MAN should be their target airport.. (Like MAN will be quivering in their boots)

 

One to watch is easyjet here. They could in theory be a major launch customer for DSA 2.0 but it would require a lot of confidence that the catchment area would support it.

You repeatedly keep saying this despite them trying DSA before unsuccessfully and despite them already having sizable ops at Manchester. It's a dead duck from the start.

 

You repeatedly keep saying this despite them trying DSA before unsuccessfully and despite them already having sizable ops at Manchester. It's a dead duck from the start.

I just think it’s not appropriate to rule it out entirely considering the market at the moment. Obviously they’re signalling that any Yorkshire growth will be at LBA but that’s currently on the understanding that LBA is the only airport. Obviously we all know how well it went last time so in all probability they wouldn’t look at it at all, but there is a chance that their big brand name could work if they put the effort in just like it did with TUI by focusing their Yorkshire offering mainly on DSA.

Like I say, unlikely but not impossible because we already know they’re a target as let slip by the Councils project director. However with the timeline slipping and assuming LBA are working with easyJet towards establishing a base then I’d fully expect that base to be on the go by the time DSA returns to ‘full operation’ in Coppards words.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport reopening gets lift-off as Oliver Coppard reveals £160m decision

Doncaster Sheffield Airport is to reopen under public ownership after South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard confirmed he will give the green light - and up to £160m in cash - to the project.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk

And there we are, Coppard is recommending to approve the release of now £160million in Gainshare funding ahead of the decision on 9th September. Let’s see whether LBA decide to launch their own legal challenge off the back of this.

 

Mayor says £160m Doncaster Sheffield Airport funding is 'a risk'

South Yorkshire Mayor says airport reopening is about jobs and investment, not just holiday flights.

www.bbc.co.uk

and 1,000 pages of due diligence expected to be published later on Monday. mentioned in the article

 

Mayor says £160m Doncaster Sheffield Airport funding is 'a risk'

South Yorkshire Mayor says airport reopening is about jobs and investment, not just holiday flights.

www.bbc.co.uk

and 1,000 pages of due diligence expected to be published later on Monday. mentioned in the article

Not to the proles it won’t, these are the documents they’ve been rushing to put together so they can be sent to a select number of officers and voting authorities ahead of the decision next week.

What must Oliver Coppard have thought when the The University of Sheffield recently decided to launch Runway Park on the site of the old Sheffield Airport, closed by Peel in 2008, at the same time as he grapples with the challenge of how to re-open Doncaster Sheffield Airport as the centrepiece of a ‘sustainable aviation hub’ on Gateway East, following its closure by Peel in 2022?

Coppard will recall the university signed a deal with DSA back in 2021 to help develop the Gateway East site which a joint press release with Peel declared “has the potential to be harnessed to create up to 35,000 jobs and 3,000 new homes worth £6.5bn to the local economy by 2037.”

The press notice said that one option being considered was opening a sustainable aerospace facility on Gateway East. That never happened. Instead, the Mayor, along with Sheffield City Council, released £14 millions of taxpayers’ money to build the University a new sustainable aviation research facility, COMPASS, not in Gateway East next to DSA, but on the old Sheffield Airport site which has now been re-branded as Runway Park.

Of the new composites research facility built by the combined authority and Sheffield Council, the AMRC’s then CEO, Steve Foxley made the bold claim that: “I’m not exaggerating when I say this could be one of the most significant regeneration projects for the UK and that it could have an impact that is three or four times bigger than the impact the AMRC has made, so far, over the past 20 years.’ How much better, Oliver may have thought, had it been built over in Doncaster as the opening gambit in the reopening of DSA.

While Runway Park ( formerly AMRC2, then Advanced Manufacturing Campus, then University of Sheffield Innovation District) is still little more than an architect’s runaway imagination, it does send out a confusing signal to potential companies wanting to invest in advanced manufacturing and aerospace in South Yorkshire. Gateway East or Runway Park?

The protracted efforts to make a business case for reopening DSA, and the likelihood that commercial flights will commence at the earliest in 2028 gives Runway Park a flying start in landing lucrative deals with inward investors. The fact that it already has Boeing in place and the SAF research centre is a powerful pull.

Add to that the £80 million publicly funded COMPASS project and the presence of the AMRC’s digital manufacturing flagship Factory 2050 and its clear Doncaster has a lot of work to do to achieve 35,000 jobs and 3,000 new homes worth £6.5 billion to the local economy by 2037.

If an inward investor is in any doubt about the link between Runway Park and aviation and aerospace, its vision is clear. This is the place where “innovation-led growth takes flight.” It all feels a bit like the air traffic controllers in South Yorkshire have left the control tower and it’s every innovation district for itself.

From LinkedIn so I can’t provide a link. Very interesting nonetheless!

 

The YP are pumping out the articles today, obviously getting lots of comments on them. One such article discusses how Coppard thinks DSA will work well alongside a thriving LBA and EMA. Then goes on to say people should be flying less. Then says but they should be flying from DSA.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport 'needs to get elbows out' to take on competition, says mayor

Doncaster Sheffield Airport will have to “get our elbows out” to re-establish its place among the UK’s passenger airports should the reopening take place, Oliver Coppard has said.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk

Work that one out!

Ah, so that is their "Sustainable aviation hub" model, an airport that they want you to use whilst flying less. In other news McDonalds is launching a new "Sustainable fast food" chain, where you can order your burger and fries, but then the ordering screens tell you that fast food is bad for the environment and your health, and advises you to reconsider your life choices....

Sadly this simply highlights what a mixed up puppy of a political party Labour are right now. Centrally they want to make huge cuts in public spending, whilst continuing to promote Net Zero. But in the trenches of South Yorkshire one part wants to blow hundreds of millions on reopening DSA, whilst a little to the west another part is actively discouraging air travel by not allowing aviation advertising on it's resources. It's a mess, and frankly demonstrates that little thought has gone into any of this.

 

Ah, so that is their "Sustainable aviation hub" model, an airport that they want you to use whilst flying less. In other news McDonalds is launching a new "Sustainable fast food" chain, where you can order your burger and fries, but then the ordering screens tell you that fast food is bad for the environment and your health, and advises you to reconsider your life choices....

Sadly this simply highlights what a mixed up puppy of a political party Labour are right now. Centrally they want to make huge cuts in public spending, whilst continuing to promote Net Zero. But in the trenches of South Yorkshire one part wants to blow hundreds of millions on reopening DSA, whilst a little to the west another part is actively discouraging air travel by not allowing aviation advertising on it's resources. It's a mess, and frankly demonstrates that little thought has gone into any of this.

There are undertones of Coppard trying to undo some of the actions of his predecessor. This confirms that the ‘Sustainable Aviation Hub’ idea is based on a previously failed proposal. So not only has the airport proven to be a commercial failure if quite epic proportions, but also the cornerstone of their Gateway East Vision is built on a proposal from 4 years ago that has subsequently decided to locate elsewhere in South Yorkshire. We must also not forget that SYMCA were offered to buy in to DSA with a seat at the table, I find it hard to believe that even half of the headline reopening figure wouldn’t have gone a long way to inject confidence into the airport when it was still open, and that this business they seem to think will materialise would not have done so previously with their support and a seat at the table.

Hidden in these 1000 pages of due diligence will be very real risks but they’ll have been mitigated by an officer at SYMCA by effectively plucking things out of thin air. Afterall there’s no point dwelling on the negatives as Coppard put it, are there?

 

There are undertones of Coppard trying to undo some of the actions of his predecessor. This confirms that the ‘Sustainable Aviation Hub’ idea is based on a previously failed proposal. So not only has the airport proven to be a commercial failure if quite epic proportions, but also the cornerstone of their Gateway East Vision is built on a proposal from 4 years ago that has subsequently decided to locate elsewhere in South Yorkshire. We must also not forget that SYMCA were offered to buy in to DSA with a seat at the table, I find it hard to believe that even half of the headline reopening figure wouldn’t have gone a long way to inject confidence into the airport when it was still open, and that this business they seem to think will materialise would not have done so previously with their support and a seat at the table.

Hidden in these 1000 pages of due diligence will be very real risks but they’ll have been mitigated by an officer at SYMCA by effectively plucking things out of thin air. Afterall there’s no point dwelling on the negatives as Coppard put it, are there?

I'm looking forward to seeing this document (I'm flying to Palma on the 16th so I'll have plenty of time to pour over it ). And I suspect the risks won't be that hidden, but doubtless surrounded the usual fluff about how it will be an essential part of the Gateway East because it will attract investment from around the world as businesspeople fly into their international, sustainable aviation hub.

 

on going negotiations about lease at doncaster airport OC mentions in the YP.
i thought that was agreed in 2024?

 

@pug @White Heather 2m PAX by 2051, it won't turn a profit, even though the business case says it would.