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...?

 

They would not fly their products anywhere. If anything they’d ship to export markets. So it has absolutely nothing to do with whether DSA reopens or not, particularly when, as you state, abnormal load routes would be required for which air freight is not conducive.

You do realise that Abnormal Loads can and do travel by air.

 

You do realise that Abnormal Loads can and do travel by air.

Well yes of course but it’s not an efficient means of transporting said loads, particularly if they’re bulk. It’s why you still have Steel going by road/rail and being shipped from Immingham to places as far as Australia.

These things aren’t time sensitive, they don’t need to be next to a reopened DSA to get their shipments exported to wherever when it’s best done using land and sea based transport. Components inbound maybe, but they’d just go through EMA anyway where there is critical mass to make transporting such goods cost effective. I don’t get why you want to labour the point on an airport thread where, as already discussed, Holtec have revised their ‘timescales’ or in other words it ain’t happening.

Did Boeing complain when they opened a facility almost on a former runway at Sheffield Airport? No. What about the various rotor/stator manufacturers in the SY/Humber area? They seem to be doing ok without a local means of distribution yet they still operate here, even when their work is time sensitive. So what’s the difference here? I suspect an hour or so road journey by waggon to EMA every evening isn’t that much of a problem after all…

 

The 'statement of need' filed by CDC/Cyrrus aviation last year appears now to have disappeared from the ACP. I read elsewhere that it has 'expired'?. Ah well - back to the drawing board!!

Just noticed this. Interesting!

 

Interesting

 

Interesting

Window dressing I guess. I would imagine that FlyDoncaster have already talked to Ryanair - if they haven't that's not very good! So long as they don't sent Mr O'Leary to the meeting - he's already made his views on DSA known
Remember this is the same MP who campaigned for the retention of the 'old' airspace supporting the Council's account of what horrors would ensue if it wasn't retained - and then posted that it was 'good news' when it was removed by the CAA. You couldn't make it up.

 

Interesting

Nah, it’s just an MP taking a photo opportunity and some PR person from Ryanair doing the usual. Seriously people like the mechanic need to learn how stuff like this works. Don’t forget this happened with Jet2 who apparently made it very clear they aren’t interested. O’Leary was very blunt on it!

 

Gateway East is a Peel initiative too, so seems that it’s only convenient to kick at Peel in public. Behind closed doors? Well they must have re-engaged with them in order to get the lease agreed, but what would a deal look like whereby the financial success of Gateway East helps to subsidise the operation of an airport? I get the jobs aspect but how is it reliant on an airport? Are Peel expected to somehow cross subsidise the airport based on the success of Gateway East? If they thought that was possible they’d have done it themselves and we wouldn’t be having this discussion.

So far we had Holtec express an interest, they don’t need an airport to enable the work they plan to do, they aren’t an aviation business and besides it looks like that’s on the back burner now anyway.

I just think they’d have a hard time convincing any independent financial analyst or consultant that there is a need for the airport and that it has value relative to the risk.

How much Gainshare is being allocated to the project rabbitfoot mentions?

£6.2 m from Gainshare

 

I wonder if any of the proposers of opening DSA have any thoughts on what routes MAN is targeting as noted in the Telegraph today (and as outlined in the MAN thread by me). It renders useless any argument that DSA is needed to connect "the North" to the world.

 

I wonder if any of the proposers of opening DSA have any thoughts on what routes MAN is targeting as noted in the Telegraph today (and as outlined in the MAN thread by me). It renders useless any argument that DSA is needed to connect "the North" to the world.

Build a dual carriageway between Sheffield and Manchester, sorted. Can’t be much more than 40 miles?

 

I wonder if any of the proposers of opening DSA have any thoughts on what routes MAN is targeting as noted in the Telegraph today (and as outlined in the MAN thread by me). It renders useless any argument that DSA is needed to connect "the North" to the world.

Very much doubt DSA would be competition to MAN on those routes or airlines mentioned in the Telegraph. I was a regular user of the American Airlines MAN - Chicago and Philadelphia routes and was very disappointed to see them go. Given changes in transatlantic business traffic I suspect it may even be a struggle for MAN to entice them back let alone DSA!

Build a dual carriageway between Sheffield and Manchester, sorted. Can’t be much more than 40 miles?

Or a decent northern powerhouse rail link!

 

Very much doubt DSA would be competition to MAN on those routes or airlines mentioned in the Telegraph. I was a regular user of the American Airlines MAN - Chicago and Philadelphia routes and was very disappointed to see them go. Given changes in transatlantic business traffic I suspect it may even be a struggle for MAN to entice them back let alone DSA!


Or a decent northern powerhouse rail link!

I agree, MAN has struggled with business travel falloff. UK-US isn’t quite as strong as it was even ten years ago. BHX never even managed to regain its EWR route that seemed to be long standing so how well MAN will do with getting AA back is anyone’s guess. VA is their best bet as they’re a home grown airline with a base at MAN. DSA absolutely no chance, it couldn’t even support a daily AMS or CDG!

I think road and rail needs improving. I think the issue is that Manchester airport isn’t called Sheffield airport, but the vast majority of air passengers from Sheffield will use MAN because of the choice, even if they’d prefer not to. It’s still within an hours drive even if the roads are rubbish.

 

I agree, MAN has struggled with business travel falloff. UK-US isn’t quite as strong as it was even ten years ago. BHX never even managed to regain its EWR route that seemed to be long standing so how well MAN will do with getting AA back is anyone’s guess. VA is their best bet as they’re a home grown airline with a base at MAN. DSA absolutely no chance, it couldn’t even support a daily AMS or CDG!

I think road and rail needs improving. I think the issue is that Manchester airport isn’t called Sheffield airport, but the vast majority of air passengers from Sheffield will use MAN because of the choice, even if they’d prefer not to. It’s still within an hours drive even if the roads are rubbish.

Agree about Sheffield, added to that the most affluent areas with the highest propensity to fly regularly are to the west of Sheffield and given the need to cross Sheffield to reach DSA MAN is usually a far quicker option even with the existing transpennine road network.

 

Agree about Sheffield, added to that the most affluent areas with the highest propensity to fly regularly are to the west of Sheffield and given the need to cross Sheffield to reach DSA MAN is usually a far quicker option even with the existing transpennine road network.

There are rumours flying around that some well known developers have been buying up land right up to the airfield boundary with a view to mixed use residential and industrial developments (over and above what we already know to form Gateway East). Apparently it’s on the understanding that the farmers can carry on ‘for now’ but that they’ll be turning over the land. The plans apparently do not conform to what you would expect to be airport operations in the direct vicinity and the companies behind it are fully expecting the airport land to be turned over too.

It’s a rumour, I don’t know specific details ( ie. who the consortium are) but it’s apparently why there’s a push to improve capacity on the Jct 3 M18..

Is there an expectation that the airport is simply not opening?

 

Interesting

Head of public affairs? Not the person you want to be talking to at Ryanair. The person you want to talk to has publicly said no, once again good bit of window dressing. Hilarious comments stating the die hard supporters still wouldn't fly from DSA if Ryanair operated.. As Pug stated, they did the same with Jet2 at a Labour event, nothing to do with DSA..

 

There are rumours flying around that some well known developers have been buying up land right up to the airfield boundary with a view to mixed use residential and industrial developments (over and above what we already know to form Gateway East). Apparently it’s on the understanding that the farmers can carry on ‘for now’ but that they’ll be turning over the land. The plans apparently do not conform to what you would expect to be airport operations in the direct vicinity and the companies behind it are fully expecting the airport land to be turned over too.

It’s a rumour, I don’t know specific details ( ie. who the consortium are) but it’s apparently why there’s a push to improve capacity on the Jct 3 M18..

Is there an expectation that the airport is simply not opening?

I would have thought residential development is the last thing you’d want to encourage particularly if you have an expectation that DSA would be the Stansted of the North as some in Doncaster Council seem to actually think! If the airport ever does manage to re open expect all those residents to have the usual complaints about noise , traffic, pollution etc etc……

 

Head of public affairs? Not the person you want to be talking to at Ryanair. The person you want to talk to has publicly said no, once again good bit of window dressing. Hilarious comments stating the die hard supporters still wouldn't fly from DSA if Ryanair operated.. As Pug stated, they did the same with Jet2 at a Labour event, nothing to do with DSA..

They all want to be seen to be doing something don’t they. Pitcher stood looking quite gormless knowing his action group are is going to be their excuse if it gets canned in September, least he can prove he tried..

 

They all want to be seen to be doing something don’t they. Pitcher stood looking quite gormless knowing his action group are is going to be their excuse if it gets canned in September, least he can prove he tried..

They are probably doing no good at all - possibly even harm because none of them understand the industry. If the politicians had kept their noses out and let the CAA follow due process, CDC would have been where they are now with the airspace 2 years ago - although I guess that doesn't matter one way or the other. Mr Pitcher made a complete fool of himself by supporting the CDC narrative on the negatives of removing the airspace and then turning around to say 'this is good news' when it was finally removed. However ... they are politicians and 'U' turns seem commonplace.

 

They are probably doing no good at all - possibly even harm because none of them understand the industry. If the politicians had kept their noses out and let the CAA follow due process, CDC would have been where they are now with the airspace 2 years ago - although I guess that doesn't matter one way or the other. Mr Pitcher made a complete fool of himself by supporting the CDC narrative on the negatives of removing the airspace and then turning around to say 'this is good news' when it was finally removed. However ... they are politicians and 'U' turns seem commonplace.

I suppose that’s political short termism for you. In fact this is what the whole reopen DSA thing is all about, because they know it’s not viable and they know it’s not going to be operating in ten years even if it does reopen next year.

I’ve seen Dan Fell (I’d be surprised if he’s not in Cardiff tonight with all his other identikit wellenders after sourcing an over priced ticket*) promoting the Doncaster business community soundbites of how greater access to international markets is in high demand. I do wonder whether Benidorm features in those markets? Seems to me they’ve all been led to believe, as I posted previously, that all that’s needed to attract Singapore, Emirates, Cathay etc is a management team who ‘know what they’re doing’. I do wonder if that business community would be so supportive if they knew that what will really be on offer is more flights to the med once a week..

*ask him what he likes about music and he’ll probably say ‘trousers’ and ‘haircuts’ whilst sipping on a warm 2 pint cardboard cup of pisswasser. ‘It’s great cos you don’t have to queue as much’…, Just watch out for the warm stuff that upsets the hair cut Dan. People love to recycle them 2 pint cardboard cups, particularly when it’s a long walk to the traps after spending hours getting their perfect spot! The beauty of seeing bands before they get too big. Yes I did see them, 1994, about 100 people there. Cost a fiver. No need to go again.

 

I suppose that’s political short termism for you. In fact this is what the whole reopen DSA thing is all about, because they know it’s not viable and they know it’s not going to be operating in ten years even if it does reopen next year.

I’ve seen Dan Fell (I’d be surprised if he’s not in Cardiff tonight with all his other identikit wellenders after sourcing an over priced ticket*) promoting the Doncaster business community soundbites of how greater access to international markets is in high demand. I do wonder whether Benidorm features in those markets? Seems to me they’ve all been led to believe, as I posted previously, that all that’s needed to attract Singapore, Emirates, Cathay etc is a management team who ‘know what they’re doing’. I do wonder if that business community would be so supportive if they knew that what will really be on offer is more flights to the med once a week..

*ask him what he likes about music and he’ll probably say ‘trousers’ and ‘haircuts’ whilst sipping on a warm 2 pint cardboard cup of pisswasser. ‘It’s great cos you don’t have to queue as much’…, Just watch out for the warm stuff that upsets the hair cut Dan. People love to recycle them 2 pint cardboard cups, particularly when it’s a long walk to the traps after spending hours getting their perfect spot! The beauty of seeing bands before they get too big.

What a load of claptrap Fell is spouting…the key business areas of Yorkshire are already adequately connected to international markets from MAN…Anyone travelling on business LH to the East also tend to use Emirates from MAN and take advantage of their free business class limo service direct from your house….this service even extends right out to Doncaster for an excess mileage fee of £12.50!!

I’d also question just how many global industries are located in Doncaster!! Add to that business travel is continuing to significantly decline….As a former employee of a global payments provider I know from experience that both cost constraints and the need to prove green credentials within corporate and social responsibility (now a key aspect when tendering) have had a significant impact on international business travel.

Gone are the days are travelling to States or elsewhere for supplier or sales meetings - post covid, video conf is now the norm.

I do worder how much corporate experience Fell has and what international business he has conducted…..

 

Seen that the mechanic is celebrating the win of NATS removing the airspace by sharing the document that was posted on here a few days ago.

Looks like some people on his page have started to question the information they’re being given and told is positive!

EDIT: he’s now trotting out an official response every time someone questions it. Something about a working group. Does this bloke not understand the nuances of politics? It’s basically spin so that the CAA can crack on and remove the airspace but not leave the politicians with red faces.