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...?

 

I wonder how much of an 'ex-pilot' he he really is as (unless I missed it) he omits to mention how different airlines treat crosswinds in their SOPs which to me could be fundamental as to who lands and who doesn't which was the question posed. For example of two major airlines operating at LBA, one counts 'gusts' in with the maximum crosswind component - 25/35kt in theory = no go whereas the other does not so in those circumstances an approach at least would be permitted. (Source 'pointed end aircrew')


I haven't read it but this obsession with LBA disguises the reality that there were 7 or 8 representations to the SAU so whether there is able to be a challenge from LBA (even if they wanted) only reduces the potential field by 1. At the end of the day there are going to be many more frantic posts as time goes on to keep the project in front of his mob but in terms of reality it is all irrelevant and not worth reading.
Fancy AENA not investing in DSA - wonder why???

Well AENA is probably like MAG, making good investment decisions on behalf of their shareholders. It’s traded you see, so has significant backing from private shareholders. It’s fundamentally different to DSA where the local authority want to throw a load of money at it in the hope some of it sticks - all this talk of obtaining private investment ‘when the time is right’ is blatantly an exercise in kicking the can down the road. I think privately he will be questioning why AENA have chosen to invest in LBA when they were one of the rumoured (by him/his ilk) interested parties for the DSA gig. They clearly see opportunity here where they didn’t for DSA, so if anything this confirms what we’ve understood already.

I don’t believe this will change LBAs stance anyway, as far as I’m aware it’ll be the same management following the same strategy which may or may not include a challenge to the subsidy, only this time AENA have good working relationships with probably all of the European airlines that are likely to be a target for LBA, more so than MAI I would suggest.

 

I don’t believe this will change LBAs stance anyway, as far as I’m aware it’ll be the same management following the same strategy which may or may not include a challenge to the subsidy, only this time AENA have good working relationships with probably all of the European airlines that are likely to be a target for LBA, more so than MAI I would suggest.

Also just to add….this is a binding agreement at the moment. The transaction is still subject to regulatory agreement etc so will won’t complete for sometime…..

 

Also just to add….this is a binding agreement at the moment. The transaction is still subject to regulatory agreement etc so will won’t complete for sometime…..

Even so, I can’t imagine AENAs stance will be any different. They’ve made a significant investment that they’ll want to protect. If anything this may encourage a challenge, particularly if AENA really did look at DSA as some had rumoured, as they’ll have a good idea of what the council are trying to achieve.

 

"We don't know" when cargo flights will return to DSA, Mayor says

The Mayor of Doncaster has said “we don’t know” if freight flights will return to Doncaster Sheffield Airport in Summer 2026, despite previously suggesting they would.

www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk

DFP - ‘when are freight flights starting?’

Ros Jones - ‘Dunno, CAAs fault. Need air corridors or something’.

Oh dear.

 

"We don't know" when cargo flights will return to DSA, Mayor says

The Mayor of Doncaster has said “we don’t know” if freight flights will return to Doncaster Sheffield Airport in Summer 2026, despite previously suggesting they would.

www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk

DFP - ‘when are freight flights starting?’

Ros Jones - ‘Dunno, CAAs fault. Need air corridors or something’.

Oh dear.

I know - let's have a petition to the Transport Secretary asking to call in the airspace application so we get it sooner than the CAA process ........... oh... but wait...........!!!!
Although one never knows it sounds from her comments like the CAA are holding a firm line here in order to integrate any DSA airspace granted into the modernisation project.
Do I sense a degree of distancing herself from the realities that now become apparent?
Be interesting to see what slant/positivity the campaign page puts on this - if indeed it appears on there.

 

I know - let's have a petition to the Transport Secretary asking to call in the airspace application so we get it sooner than the CAA process ........... oh... but wait...........!!!!
Although one never knows it sounds from her comments like the CAA are holding a firm line here in order to integrate any DSA airspace granted into the modernisation project.
Do I sense a degree of distancing herself from the realities that now become apparent?
Be interesting to see what slant/positivity the campaign page puts on this - if indeed it appears on there.

Yes, it does appear that (finally!!!) someone has sat her down and explained the actual timelines for licensing an airport, and airspace change process.

 

I know - let's have a petition to the Transport Secretary asking to call in the airspace application so we get it sooner than the CAA process ........... oh... but wait...........!!!!
Although one never knows it sounds from her comments like the CAA are holding a firm line here in order to integrate any DSA airspace granted into the modernisation project.
Do I sense a degree of distancing herself from the realities that now become apparent?
Be interesting to see what slant/positivity the campaign page puts on this - if indeed it appears on there.

It doesn’t appear to have made its way onto the mechanics outlet yet, I’m sure he’s just getting around to posting it up. He has posted the CDC update about the fantastic response to the questionnaire that saw an ‘overwhelming’ 10,000 people respond with 93% positive feedback, 89% of which would apparently use the airport again. I hope those 10,000 people are going to use the airport twice a week every week. They’d mostly like to go on holiday or to places like Australia apparently, and this is going to be used as part of the engagement exercise with airlines, so that’s good too apparently.

 

It doesn’t appear to have made its way onto the mechanics outlet yet, I’m sure he’s just getting around to posting it up. He has posted the CDC update about the fantastic response to the questionnaire that saw an ‘overwhelming’ 10,000 people respond with 93% positive feedback, 89% of which would apparently use the airport again. I hope those 10,000 people are going to use the airport twice a week every week. They’d mostly like to go on holiday or to places like Australia apparently, and this is going to be used as part of the engagement exercise with airlines, so that’s good too apparently.

Only 10,000?

When LBA were seeking approval to go to 24H ops back in 1993, the LBA Support Group, consisting of 2 people, submitted nearly 17,000 statements of support and it would have been more had the Council asked that no more be submitted. For something as big as reopening an airport, 10,000 is a pretty poor effort. How many people live in the DSA catchment area???

 

Conveniently the mechanic hasn’t posted that on the supports page, but posts the article re the ridiculous Microsoft poll created by someone in sixth form. Interestingly, the one with Ros/Cargo was posted before the poll one on DFP.

Anyway let’s have another dig at an airport mr mechanic keep the dwindling interest / engagements going eh

 

Conveniently the mechanic hasn’t posted that on the supports page, but posts the article re the ridiculous Microsoft poll created by someone in sixth form. Interestingly, the one with Ros/Cargo was posted before the poll one on DFP.

Anyway let’s have another dig at an airport mr mechanic keep the dwindling interest / engagements going eh

Still hasn’t appeared on there, he must have missed it mustn’t he! I’m sure other group members have tried to link to it on there but he’s probably not seen those attempts either.

Anyway there’s still a lot of people commenting about AENA story and how it’s just the same at CDC bankrolling FlyDoncaster. This will not let up unfortunately.

Ultimately today has seen one of the biggest airport operators purchase the controlling shares on an airport on top of a hill that apparently is rubbish cos it closes when it’s breezy or someting, and we’ve also seen a press release about the results of a very poorly worded and hastily created Microsoft Forms questionnaire that about 10000 people answered. @White Heather i think the population of Doncaster is 350,000 but only because they drew a big circle around it and dragged in all the surrounding towns and villages kicking and screaming.

 

Still hasn’t appeared on there, he must have missed it mustn’t he! I’m sure other group members have tried to link to it on there but he’s probably not seen those attempts either.

Anyway there’s still a lot of people commenting about AENA story and how it’s just the same at CDC bankrolling FlyDoncaster. This will not let up unfortunately.

Ultimately today has seen one of the biggest airport operators purchase the controlling shares on an airport on top of a hill that apparently is rubbish cos it closes when it’s breezy or someting, and we’ve also seen a press release about the results of a very poorly worded and hastily created Microsoft Forms questionnaire that about 10000 people answered. @White Heather i think the population of Doncaster is 350,000 but only because they drew a big circle around it and dragged in all the surrounding towns and villages kicking and screaming.

But then we can add the populations of Rotherham, Barnsley and supposedly, Sheffield which is over half a million all by itself, and the various other towns and villages in South Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. All in all, 10,000 is embarrassingly low and suggests most people don't really care.

Still hasn’t appeared on there, he must have missed it mustn’t he! I’m sure other group members have tried to link to it on there but he’s probably not seen those attempts either.

Anyway there’s still a lot of people commenting about AENA story and how it’s just the same at CDC bankrolling FlyDoncaster. This will not let up unfortunately.

Ultimately today has seen one of the biggest airport operators purchase the controlling shares on an airport on top of a hill that apparently is rubbish cos it closes when it’s breezy or someting, and we’ve also seen a press release about the results of a very poorly worded and hastily created Microsoft Forms questionnaire that about 10000 people answered. @White Heather i think the population of Doncaster is 350,000 but only because they drew a big circle around it and dragged in all the surrounding towns and villages kicking and screaming.

They must think that the Spanish Government are directly funding AENA and therefore rather a lot of airports across Spain, the UK and elsewhere. Another example of the total lack of understanding that seems prevalent throughout the pro DSA movement. No doubt if anyone tries to enlighten them they'll be shut down promptly.

 

But then we can add the populations of Rotherham, Barnsley and supposedly, Sheffield which is over half a million all by itself, and the various other towns and villages in South Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. All in all, 10,000 is embarrassingly low and suggests most people don't really care.


They must think that the Spanish Government are directly funding AENA and therefore rather a lot of airports across Spain, the UK and elsewhere. Another example of the total lack of understanding that seems prevalent throughout the pro DSA movement. No doubt if anyone tries to enlighten them they'll be shut down promptly.

Population of South Yorkshire is around 1.4 million, so if they’re saying that’s the catchment area then the respondents constitute 0.7% of the South Yorkshire population. They reckon it has a catchment area of 6 million or something, which by that logic means that 0.16% of the catchment area responded. They then tell us that only 89% of the respondents would actually use the airport, or in other words 0.64% of the South Yorkshire population, 0.14% of the claimed 6 million catchment area population.

Meanwhile airports and airlines pay for advanced and detailed ticket tracing data which helps them, amongst many other things, determine where people come from, where they go and how frequently - crucially how price sensitive they are. We may ponder why they decided that using a badly worded and hastily constructed Microsoft Form was a good way of gauging demand, I imagine it will be received with praise by the airlines they’re apparently in positive discussions with.

 

Chadwick’s latest diatribe that looks uncannily like it’s been AI generated;

Public Money and Airports:



Why Reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport Is Normal UK Practice





The use of public money to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport is not unusual, controversial, or unprecedented. In fact, public ownership and public investment in airports has been a core part of the UK aviation system for decades.

Across England, Wales, Scotland, and the Crown Dependencies, airports have been owned, supported, or rescued by public authorities when they were judged to be economically important to their regions.

Major English Airports with Public Ownership (Now or Historically)

• Manchester Airport - Owned by the ten Greater Manchester councils; one of the most successful regional airports in Europe

• Birmingham Airport - Significant public sector shareholding and investment

• Newcastle International Airport - Previously majority council-owned, still with local authority involvement

• Leeds Bradford Airport - Long-term local authority ownership prior to sale

• Bristol Airport - Historically council-owned and expanded with public backing

Airports Returned to or Retained in Public Ownership

• Teesside International Airport - Returned to public ownership to protect jobs and regional connectivity

• Cornwall Airport Newquay - Owned and supported by Cornwall Council

• City of Derry Airport - Owned by Derry City and Strabane District Council

Wales and Devolved Nations

• Cardiff Airport - Owned by the Welsh Government as a national economic asset

SCOTLAND - PUBLIC OWNERSHIP AS STANDARD

In Scotland, public ownership of airports is the norm rather than the exception. The Scottish Government owns and operates airports including:

• Inverness Airport

• Stornoway Airport

• Kirkwall Airport

• Sumburgh Airport

• Alongside others serving island and remote communities

THESE AIRPORTS ARE PUBLICLY OWNED BECAUSE CONNECTIVITY IS CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT A LUXURY.

CROWN DEPENDENCIES

• Isle of Man Airport - Owned by the Isle of Man Government



So What Does This Mean for Doncaster Sheffield Airport?

• Reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport using public money is entirely consistent with UK practice.

• It protects an existing strategic asset,

• supports skilled employment,

• enables inward investment,

• ensures the region is not left behind.

Publicly owned airports across the UK prove one thing clearly:


When public money is invested wisely in airports,



The public benefits.

I did though feed it into a well known AI system and asked what its thoughts were. They are below;

While the previous text suggests that public investment in airports is a harmless national "norm," it overlooks a fundamental truth: public ownership is usually a last-resort response to commercial failure, not a guaranteed recipe for success.

1. The "False Equivalency" of Manchester and Birmingham​

The original text cites Manchester and Birmingham as success stories of public ownership. This is a false comparison:

• Dividends vs. Subsidies: Manchester Airport is a massive, highly profitable global hub that pays dividends backto its local councils. In contrast, Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) closed because it was loss-making.
• Scale: Comparing a Top-3 UK airport (Manchester) to a regional site that struggled to maintain a single anchor tenant (TUI) is like comparing a national rail network to a local bus route. One is a self-sustaining asset; the other is a financial liability.

2. The "Suppressed" Private Investment Option​

The claim that public money is "essential" ignores recent developments. In late 2025, a consortium of private investors alleged that a £500 million private funding offer was sidelined by the local council.

• If private investors are willing to take the risk, why is £160 million of taxpayer "Gainshare" money being used instead?
• Using public funds when private capital is available isn't "standard practice"—it’s a high-risk gamble with public money that could be spent on schools, social care, or the region's struggling bus network.

3. Market Distortion and the "State Aid" Conflict​

Other regional airports, such as Leeds Bradford and East Midlands, operate on a commercial basis without these massive public safety nets.

• Unfair Competition: Using public money to lower costs for Doncaster effectively "steals" passengers and airlines from neighboring airports through taxpayer-funded subsidies.
• Legal Risk: This level of intervention is already being questioned under the UK Subsidy Control Act. If the project is found to be an illegal market distortion, taxpayers could be left on the hook for massive legal fees and forced repayments.

4. The "Cardiff and Teesside" Reality Check​

The original text lists Cardiff and Teesside as models. In reality, they serve as cautionary tales:

• Cardiff Airport: Since being nationalized by the Welsh Government, it has cost taxpayers over £200 million, seen its valuation plummet, and struggled to reach even half of its pre-pandemic passenger targets.
• Teesside Airport: While "saved," it has required tens of millions in ongoing support from the Combined Authority just to keep the lights on, with no clear path to long-term commercial profit without public top-ups.

5. Environmental and Opportunity Costs​

At a time when South Yorkshire has declared a climate emergency, spending £160 million to reopen a carbon-heavy airport is a direct contradiction of net-zero goals.

• 98% of Emissions: Critics rightly point out that while terminal buildings can be "green," 98% of an airport's carbon footprint comes from the flights themselves.
• The Bus Crisis: For the average resident, a functional local bus and tram network provides more daily value than a subsidized flight. Diverting "Gainshare" funds to an airport project that isn't expected to see significant passenger flights until 2028 is an "opportunity cost" the region may regret.

---

Conclusion​

Reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport isn't about "normal UK practice"—it is a specific, high-risk political intervention. To suggest that "the public benefits" whenever money is put into an airport is a gross oversimplification that ignores decades of financial losses at other publicly-supported regional sites.

 

He really hasn’t a clue …He just distorts the facts to support his narrative and to try is desperation to try and maintain support for the project, which even in Domcaster is rapidly dissipating as the truth about this vanity projects starts to hit home.
The depth of his ignorance is clearly illustrate in quoting Teesside and Cardiff - both currently failing airports and incurring significant losses and needed significant public funding to keep operating …..one airport is facing legal action over its distortion competition and the other has had significant red flags raised by auditors over its public funding and the fact that at least £23m of funding to the airport is likely to be never repaid and should be treated as bad debt! Actually maybe there are similarities between Teesside and Doncaster airports after all https://www.ft.com/content/1a60ac42-59a7-4947-8c2a-59052cbf5529

Has he pasted a link to the Mayors “We don’t know” article yet?

It now seems the more he posts on his page the bigger hole he is digging…

 

He really hasn’t a clue …He just distorts the facts to support his narrative and to try is desperation to try and maintain support for the project, which even in Domcaster is rapidly dissipating as the truth about this vanity projects starts to hit home.
The depth of his ignorance is clearly illustrate in quoting Teesside and Cardiff - both currently failing airports and incurring significant losses and needed significant public funding to keep operating …..one airport is facing legal action over its distortion competition and the other has had significant red flags raised by auditors over its public funding and the fact that at least £23m of funding to the airport is likely to be never repaid and should be treated as bad debt! Actually maybe there are similarities between Teesside and Doncaster airports after all https://www.ft.com/content/1a60ac42-59a7-4947-8c2a-59052cbf5529

Has he pasted a link to the Mayors “We don’t know” article yet?

It now seems the more he posts on his page the bigger hole he is digging…

Do you really think that he has written that?? Someone in the Council or Chamber to try and mitigate what might be to come?? Whatever, it will not affect reality one bit. Parties might challenge when details of the subsidy are published or they might not! Posts on the support page will not change a thing other than to give supporters even more of a false sense of security!

 

All he seems to post nowadays is digs at other airports to keep engagements / comments on this posts. Chasing the high of likes on Facebook it seems.

 

Do you really think that he has written that?? Someone in the Council or Chamber to try and mitigate what might be to come?? Whatever, it will not affect reality one bit. Parties might challenge when details of the subsidy are published or they might not! Posts on the support page will not change a thing other than to give supporters even more of a false sense of security!

The problem is that people are flagging his post as insightful. Since when did he become the official mouthpiece? He can of course say what he likes but if people are taking what he’s saying as gospel then i foresee it leading to issues for him down the line, particularly if/when it goes belly up. As my AI constructed post was keen to point out, there is no comparison between the public sector establishing airports decades ago, to the modern operating environment where there are clear examples that the public sector is not best positioned to deal with the modern low cost operating environment. CDC being the market leader in changing the trends I think not!

@Snackbar is correct, still doesn’t appear to have acknowledged Ros Jones latest blunder, perhaps he worries that if he does it might undermine confidence in the narrative. Fair enough I suppose but again if he’s genuinely interested in the airport reopening then it’s incumbent on him to challenge any behaviours that might seem out of sync.

Anyway it looks like the CAA may be the next point of blame. We do call them the Campaign Against Aviation but actually they have a duty as a regulator to be fair and not swayed by political pressure. The BGA are pushing for an accurate justification for every square metre of airspace being applied for, they are a key stakeholder and their influence must not be underplayed. They reminded people in their statement that the airport is a commercial failure. However they’re a convenient scapegoat ‘the London based CAA are dragging their heels’ is likely to form the basis of press releases in 2026.

He’s discovered AI and its suggestibility as he’s once again posted something he claims is ‘myth busting’:

Reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport:

A Local Myth-Buster





Myth 1: “Using public money on an airport is unusual or risky.”



Fact:
Public ownership and public investment in airports is normal UK practice.

Some of the UK’s most successful airports were built, owned, or supported by councils and governments, including:

• Manchester Airport (owned by local councils)

• Birmingham Airport

• Newcastle International Airport

• Leeds Bradford Airport

Public money didn’t damage these places — it helped them grow.



Myth 2: “Doncaster would be on its own doing this.”



Fact:
Doncaster would be doing exactly what many other places already do.

Airports currently in public ownership include:

• Teesside International Airport

• Cornwall Airport Newquay

• City of Derry Airport

• Cardiff Airport

• Inverness Airport

• Stornoway Airport

• Kirkwall Airport

• Sumburgh Airport

• Isle of Man Airport

Publicly owned airports exist all across the UK and beyond — because they matter to local economies.



Myth 3: “The airport failed before, so it will fail again.”



Fact:
Doncaster Sheffield Airport did not close because people didn’t use it.

It closed following a private owner’s commercial decision, not because the airport lacked value to Doncaster or South Yorkshire.

Public ownership allows decisions to be made for long-term local benefit, not short-term shareholder returns.



Myth 4: “That money should be spent on something else.”

Fact:
Airports are economic infrastructure, just like roads, rail, and ports.

Reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport supports:

• Skilled local jobs

• Apprenticeships and training

• Local supply chains

• Business growth and inward investment

• Connectivity for residents and employers

This is investment that circulates back into the local economy.



Myth 5: “Reopening means starting from scratch.”



Fact:
Doncaster already has the airport.

The runway, terminal, control tower, and transport links are already here. Reopening is about protecting and reusing an existing public asset, not building a new one.



Myth 6: “Other regions get help — Doncaster shouldn’t.”



Fact:
Other regions already do get help.

From Manchester to Cardiff, from Teesside to the Highlands, public money has been used to support airports because connectivity brings jobs and opportunity.

Doncaster deserves the same confidence and ambition.



The Bottom Line for Doncaster

Reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport with public money is:

• Normal UK practice

• Proven elsewhere

• Focused on local jobs and growth

• About long-term benefit, not short-term profit

When public money is invested wisely in airports, local communities benefit.

That’s true across the UK — and it should be true for Doncaster too.



#saveDSA

Simply run it through a well known AI system to fact check and we have this:

Reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport: A Reality Check​

While the desire to see DSA fly again is understandable, the "Myth-Buster" post overlooks several harsh economic truths. Investing public money into an airport is not a guaranteed win; it is a high-stakes gamble with taxpayers' capital.

1. The "Public Ownership" Comparison is Misleading​

The post cites Manchester and Birmingham as success stories. However, these airports were established in a completely different economic era. Modern examples of public intervention tell a much more cautionary tale:

• Teesside International Airport: Since being brought back into public ownership in 2019, it has required tens of millions in additional taxpayer bailouts to stay afloat and has struggled to turn a profit.
• Cardiff Airport: The Welsh Government has had to write off more than £42 million in debt and provide significant grants just to keep the doors open.
• The Risk: Unlike Manchester, which serves a massive, unique catchment area, Doncaster competes directly with established giants like Manchester, Leeds Bradford, and East Midlands.

2. Profitability is Not a "Choice"​

The original post claims the airport didn't fail because of lack of use. In reality, passenger numbers do not equal profit.

Metric	The Reality
Fixed Costs	Airports have massive overheads (security, air traffic control, maintenance) regardless of whether 1 or 100 planes land.
Airlines vs. Airports	Airlines like Wizz Air or TUI are notoriously mobile. If they find a more profitable deal elsewhere, they leave. DSA lost its "anchor" tenants, making the business model unsustainable.
The "Commercial Decision"	Private companies rarely walk away from genuine goldmines. Peel Group closed the airport because the projected losses were too great to justify.

3. The Opportunity Cost: What Else Could the Money Buy?​

Every pound of public money spent on a speculative airport project is a pound taken away from other essential services. This is the "Opportunity Cost."

• Public Transport: South Yorkshire’s bus and rail networks are under immense pressure. Could that money better serve thousands of daily commuters rather than a smaller number of holidaymakers?
• Direct Job Creation: Investing the same millions directly into high-tech manufacturing or green energy hubs in Doncaster might create more stable, long-term jobs than a struggling regional airport.

4. "Already Having the Runway" is Only Half the Battle​

Myth 5 suggests reopening is easy because the infrastructure exists. However, aviation is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the world.

• Re-licensing: You cannot simply "flip a switch." A closed airport loses its operating licenses, its staff (who have moved to other jobs), and its specialized equipment contracts.
• Attracting Airlines: This is the hardest part. Airlines have already filled the "gap" left by DSA by increasing flights at Leeds Bradford and Manchester. Convincing them to move back requires massive financial incentives—often paid for by the taxpayer.

5. Environmental and Policy Headwinds​

The aviation industry is facing increasing pressure from "Net Zero" targets and potential carbon taxes.

• Smaller regional airports are often the most vulnerable to these shifts.
• Betting public money on an industry that is currently being forced to contract or significantly raise prices is a high-risk strategy for a local council.

---

The Bottom Line​

Public investment should be measured by certainty of return. While "ambition" sounds good in a social media post, the reality is that several publicly owned UK airports are currently "black holes" for taxpayer money.

Before committing millions, we must ask: Is a speculative airport really the best way to improve the lives of the people of Doncaster, or is there a more modern, sustainable way to grow our economy?

 

As alluded to earlier in the thread, it will not affect the reality of the situation or whatever legal challenge may or may not be forthcoming one little bit. I am a little puzzled as to why this stuff is being posted right now unless he has had the nod from HQ to pre-empt that they will shortly be publishing the details of the subsidy - or maybe there is nothing else to post about. The interesting bit from the Mayor - where she is telling the truth about the airspace (for perhaps the first time?) has indeed not appeared on the campaign page which further evidences that like the Business Plan factual information that might be deemed negative is with held!

 

As alluded to earlier in the thread, it will not affect the reality of the situation or whatever legal challenge may or may not be forthcoming one little bit. I am a little puzzled as to why this stuff is being posted right now unless he has had the nod from HQ to pre-empt that they will shortly be publishing the details of the subsidy - or maybe there is nothing else to post about. The interesting bit from the Mayor - where she is telling the truth about the airspace (for perhaps the first time?) has indeed not appeared on the campaign page which further evidences that like the Business Plan factual information that might be deemed negative is with held!

It’s a strange situation when a garage owner becomes the effective head of PR for an airport campaign. Fine to consolidate support, nothing wrong with that at all and he’s done a commendable job of that. However when he starts posting supposed ‘myth busters’ that are clearly generated by suggestive AI, and when factual information deemed negative is withheld, the credibility of the output is significantly reduced. I guess you’ll have the usual suspects saying ‘well said mark’ and ‘this will silence the naysayers’. It makes me worry for society when people are incapable of sound reasoning and challenging their own beliefs when there is evidence available that at the very least makes a lot of the things they believe happened a grey area. There is info not in the public domain, I’ve seen a fair bit of it but will never share it. Let’s just say some people who used to work at the airport haven’t a clue either.

With all that said, trying to compare the DSA proposal of now with old world historic airport organisational structures/ownership models isn’t just being misinformed, it’s frankly stupid and as you say it’s not going to determine whether legal objection is launched or not.

 

The problem is that people are flagging his post as insightful. Since when did he become the official mouthpiece? He can of course say what he likes but if people are taking what he’s saying as gospel then i foresee it leading to issues for him down the line, particularly if/when it goes belly up. As my AI constructed post was keen to point out, there is no comparison between the public sector establishing airports decades ago, to the modern operating environment where there are clear examples that the public sector is not best positioned to deal with the modern low cost operating environment. CDC being the market leader in changing the trends I think not!

@Snackbar is correct, still doesn’t appear to have acknowledged Ros Jones latest blunder, perhaps he worries that if he does it might undermine confidence in the narrative. Fair enough I suppose but again if he’s genuinely interested in the airport reopening then it’s incumbent on him to challenge any behaviours that might seem out of sync.

Anyway it looks like the CAA may be the next point of blame. We do call them the Campaign Against Aviation but actually they have a duty as a regulator to be fair and not swayed by political pressure. The BGA are pushing for an accurate justification for every square metre of airspace being applied for, they are a key stakeholder and their influence must not be underplayed. They reminded people in their statement that the airport is a commercial failure. However they’re a convenient scapegoat ‘the London based CAA are dragging their heels’ is likely to form the basis of press releases in 2026.

He’s discovered AI and its suggestibility as he’s once again posted something he claims is ‘myth busting’:



Simply run it through a well known AI system to fact check and we have this:

Reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport: A Reality Check​

While the desire to see DSA fly again is understandable, the "Myth-Buster" post overlooks several harsh economic truths. Investing public money into an airport is not a guaranteed win; it is a high-stakes gamble with taxpayers' capital.

1. The "Public Ownership" Comparison is Misleading​

The post cites Manchester and Birmingham as success stories. However, these airports were established in a completely different economic era. Modern examples of public intervention tell a much more cautionary tale:

• Teesside International Airport: Since being brought back into public ownership in 2019, it has required tens of millions in additional taxpayer bailouts to stay afloat and has struggled to turn a profit.
• Cardiff Airport: The Welsh Government has had to write off more than £42 million in debt and provide significant grants just to keep the doors open.
• The Risk: Unlike Manchester, which serves a massive, unique catchment area, Doncaster competes directly with established giants like Manchester, Leeds Bradford, and East Midlands.

2. Profitability is Not a "Choice"​

The original post claims the airport didn't fail because of lack of use. In reality, passenger numbers do not equal profit.

Metric	The Reality
Fixed Costs	Airports have massive overheads (security, air traffic control, maintenance) regardless of whether 1 or 100 planes land.
Airlines vs. Airports	Airlines like Wizz Air or TUI are notoriously mobile. If they find a more profitable deal elsewhere, they leave. DSA lost its "anchor" tenants, making the business model unsustainable.
The "Commercial Decision"	Private companies rarely walk away from genuine goldmines. Peel Group closed the airport because the projected losses were too great to justify.

3. The Opportunity Cost: What Else Could the Money Buy?​

Every pound of public money spent on a speculative airport project is a pound taken away from other essential services. This is the "Opportunity Cost."

• Public Transport: South Yorkshire’s bus and rail networks are under immense pressure. Could that money better serve thousands of daily commuters rather than a smaller number of holidaymakers?
• Direct Job Creation: Investing the same millions directly into high-tech manufacturing or green energy hubs in Doncaster might create more stable, long-term jobs than a struggling regional airport.

4. "Already Having the Runway" is Only Half the Battle​

Myth 5 suggests reopening is easy because the infrastructure exists. However, aviation is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the world.

• Re-licensing: You cannot simply "flip a switch." A closed airport loses its operating licenses, its staff (who have moved to other jobs), and its specialized equipment contracts.
• Attracting Airlines: This is the hardest part. Airlines have already filled the "gap" left by DSA by increasing flights at Leeds Bradford and Manchester. Convincing them to move back requires massive financial incentives—often paid for by the taxpayer.

5. Environmental and Policy Headwinds​

The aviation industry is facing increasing pressure from "Net Zero" targets and potential carbon taxes.

• Smaller regional airports are often the most vulnerable to these shifts.
• Betting public money on an industry that is currently being forced to contract or significantly raise prices is a high-risk strategy for a local council.

---

The Bottom Line​

Public investment should be measured by certainty of return. While "ambition" sounds good in a social media post, the reality is that several publicly owned UK airports are currently "black holes" for taxpayer money.

Before committing millions, we must ask: Is a speculative airport really the best way to improve the lives of the people of Doncaster, or is there a more modern, sustainable way to grow our economy?

At last he acknowledges the success of LBA and according to his post it’s one of the UKs most successful airports quote the Mechanic
“Some of the UK’s most successful airports were built, owned, or supported by councils and governments, including:

• Manchester Airport (owned by local councils)

• Birmingham Airport

• Newcastle International Airport

• Leeds Bradford Airport”

He really should read what he copies and pastes from AI
He can post all the stamens he wants but it won’t make a jot of difference to any legal challenges DSA will face…. I’m sure the Exec team at LBA and elsewhere are avid readers of his garbage