Doncaster Sheffield Airport faces closure as 'no longer commercially viable'

The board of DSA is reviewing options for the site following lengthy deliberations which "reluctantly concluded that aviation activity on the site may no longer be commercially viable."

Owners Peel Group said they had taken external independent advice and concurred with the board's findings.

The airport, which opened to passengers in 2005, is one of two commercial international airports in Yorkshire, along with Leeds Bradford Airport.

The news comes after managing director Chris Harcombe stood down from his role as managing director earlier this year.

A statement from Peel L&P said despite significant investment and growth in passenger numbers DSA had "never achieved the critical mass required to become profitable."

It said the shortfall was exacerbated by the announcement in June of Wizz Air's withdrawal from the airport leaving only one base carrier, TUI.

It added: "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."

Robert Hough, Chairman of Peel Airports Group, 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."

He said Peel Group "remains committed to delivering economic growth, job opportunities and prosperity for Doncaster and the wider region".

Peel Group is developing the adjoining GatewayEast development which includes an over 400,000 sq ft logistics and advanced manufacturing development on site, creating hundreds of new jobs.

In 2002 Peel purchased the struggling Sheffield City airport site, which closed in 2008 and is now part of the Advanced Manufacturing Park with various manufacturing businesses.

Louise Haigh MP for Sheffield Heeley and Shadow Transport Secretary, said: “The announcement from Peel Group is extremely worrying for jobs and investment in South Yorkshire. Peel must not renege on the ambition that has been set for our airport and our region.

“The Government has completely failed to support the aviation sector as we recover from Covid, and jobs have been lost as a result."

She said she'd written to Peel Group's board asking them to reconsider and also to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, seeking his support to keep it open.

She said: "South Yorkshire has invested in Doncaster Sheffield Airport and Peel Group, and we now need to see the same level of investment from Peel.”

Conservative MP for Don Valley Nick Fletcher said he was hopeful the 800 jobs at the airport could be saved. There will be a six-week consultation.

He tweeted that he had raised the matter with Ministers including Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, adding: "Doncaster is a city. It has an airport. It needs an airport. I will do all within my power to ensure Doncaster keeps its airport.

Aviation consultant David Edwards said it was sad but he was "not really surprised, given what's happening globally".

He said there was an up to eight-month wait for pilots to get into simulators which allow them to get their skills up to scratch and meet legal requirements.

He said: "Two years ago aviation generally was in the ascendancy but since Covid things have changed dramatically.

"Even if they removed every travel restriction and put every pilot back it will take two years to get back to full capacity, because they can't get pilots back into simulators to get their licences revalidated."

He added that even if all the ground crew were available - from catering to baggage handlers "without pilots you are not going anywhere".

Business leaders said closure of the airport would be another major blow coming on the back of the axing of the HS2 connection and rail services from South Yorkshire to Manchester Airport.

The chief executives of Barnsley & Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield Chambers of Commerce criticised the Government for not doing enough to help the sector bounce back following the pandemic.

They said: "Airports are not just assets for their shareholders but for the economies and communities they serve.

"If aviation activity at Doncaster Sheffield Airport ends or scales back, this would be another major blow to the region's infrastructure after several others, including the axing of our planned HS2 connection and rail services from South Yorkshire to Manchester Airport. The evidence is well-established that international connectivity underpins inward investment."