Doncaster Sheffield Airport to reopen?

[pug1]

Because it doesn’t serve remotely the same market in terms of population that LBA does. Stansted is terrible to get to from Yorkshire.

We’ll see though, there aren’t that many spare slots at LBA (one of the reason that TUI has some interest in a reopened DSA), there isn’t that much room for new airlines to move in.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Jun 2025 ==


it’s completely accurate though. No long haul airline is going to be moving from MAN (or anywhere else) to DSA. That’s absolutely none. To think one ever would shows a complete lack of understanding of airline economics.

The capacity constraints at LBA are to be somewhat resolved due to the 33% increase in parking stands over the next few years. I think the plan is to build 10 new stands which will significantly increase overnight capacity and, by virtue of that, the number of based aircraft the airport can handle. If easyJet do base they’ll be coming in with 3 aircraft minimum, I think TUIs DSA base varied between 2 and 4 based aircraft. It’s something LBA could easily absorb when the stands are completed, however TUI seem to be moving towards using 3rd parties such as Ryanair and easyJet to block book seats these days.

 

[mpthomson]

The capacity constraints at LBA are to be somewhat resolved due to the 33% increase in parking stands over the next few years. I think the plan is to build 10 new stands which will significantly increase overnight capacity and, by virtue of that, the number of based aircraft the airport can handle. If easyJet do base they’ll be coming in with 3 aircraft minimum, I think TUIs DSA base varied between 2 and 4 based aircraft. It’s something LBA could easily absorb when the stands are completed, however TUI seem to be moving towards using 3rd parties such as Ryanair and easyJet to block book seats these days.

TUI are short of airframes, they’re stuck in the Boeing backlog.

 

[pug1]

TUI are short of airframes, they’re stuck in the Boeing backlog.

I think the orders are attrition too.

 

[pitdiver]

I live halfway between DSA and EMA. Obviously my wife and I use EMA for our holiday flights. What is the current situation regarding the reopening of DSA as I read lately that Ryanair may be using it but is this a bit of wishful thinking by those who say it will reopen?

 

[mpthomson]

I live halfway between DSA and EMA. Obviously my wife and I use EMA for our holiday flights. What is the current situation regarding the reopening of DSA as I read lately that Ryanair may be using it but is this a bit of wishful thinking by those who say it will reopen?

Ryanair have clearly said that they aren’t interested. They already fly from EMA and LBA so DSA offers them nothing that they don’t already have.

Supporters of the airport engage in huge amounts of fantasy airport and wishful thinking, including Ros Jones who somehow sees the removal of the DSA airspace as a good thing when in fact it just adds huge uncertainties as the CAA have said it won’t get back all it had before. Jones is also still claiming that commercial flights will be operating by Spring 26, this is complete nonsense. The decision re funding (and it isn’t Jones’ decision) isn’t being taken until September and the site then needs around £130mn spending on it. Spring 27 is more likely, if it ever reopens.

 

[Bob figgis]

Been reported that recent “encouraging” talks with both TUi and Ryanair have taken place.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/abandoned-yorkshire-airport-takes-next-32038519#

How does the on going night curfew at LBA impact on these airlines. This report is dated 2024, our local BBC news reported recently that the curfew isn’t been kept to.

Public Inquiry to start into Leeds Bradford Airport night flights

The inquiry will consider the legal meaning of night-time flying rules at Leeds Bradford Airport.

www.bbc.co.uk

Leeds Bradford Airport served with enforcement notice over noisy night flights

Airport bosses have been served with an enforcement notice after overnight flights were found to have breached noise rules.

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk

 

[Cloud Strife]

How does the on going night curfew at LBA impact on these airlines.

In summer, quite heavily. By restricting flights after 2300 and before 0700, you're effectively placing quite heavy restrictions on any planes based there. The low cost airlines in particular want to get their planes out between 0530 and 0630 and returning 2300-0000, so this is enough to discourage expansion. If DSA can offer 24 hour access while LBA remains heavily restricted, it opens up the door for DSA to at least have early morning departures and late evening arrivals.

 

[thejuggler]

Looking at departure and arrivals, and living under the flight path of departures from LBA the interpretation of any curfew is now very 'loose'.

The airport is effectively 'closed' for only about 2 hours a day during summer. First flight is before 6am and final arrival about 3.45am.

 

[mpthomson]

Been reported that recent “encouraging” talks with both TUi and Ryanair have taken place.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/abandoned-yorkshire-airport-takes-next-32038519#

How does the on going night curfew at LBA impact on these airlines. This report is dated 2024, our local BBC news reported recently that the curfew isn’t been kept to.

Public Inquiry to start into Leeds Bradford Airport night flights

The inquiry will consider the legal meaning of night-time flying rules at Leeds Bradford Airport.

www.bbc.co.uk

Leeds Bradford Airport served with enforcement notice over noisy night flights

Airport bosses have been served with an enforcement notice after overnight flights were found to have breached noise rules.

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk

To be clear all Ryanair have agreed to is to say hello to the operating company and talk to them. O’Leary has been clear as to his thoughts about an airport where the made losses last time round.

 

[Cloud Strife]

The airport is effectively 'closed' for only about 2 hours a day during summer. First flight is before 6am and final arrival about 3.45am.

Yeah, looking now, it seems that the curfew is not really strongly enforced. I see several arrivals timed to arrive at between 2230 and 2300, which would never be done if there was a strict curfew from 2300-0700 as the odds of a diversion would be just too high. Berlin Airport has an incredibly strict midnight curfew, and the last flight is scheduled to arrive there at 2310.

 

[thejuggler]

Thats why LBA situation is at a planning hearing as the curfew was set for aircraft with noise generation far higher than modern aircraft. Back then Ryanair were still operating the 737-200 and TU154 was a visitor.

Noisiest aircraft now are the few Jet2 737-300s.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Thats why LBA situation is at a planning hearing as the curfew was set for aircraft with noise generation far higher than modern aircraft. Back then Ryanair were still operating the 737-200 and TU154 was a visitor.

Noisiest aircraft now are the few Jet2 737-300s.

Which are planned for withdrawal within the next 12 months I believe. All Jet2s remaining 737-300 are based at Leeds now with numbers dwindling as 321s get put into service and 737-800d transfer to Leeds.

 

[pug1]

Been reported that recent “encouraging” talks with both TUi and Ryanair have taken place.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/abandoned-yorkshire-airport-takes-next-32038519#

How does the on going night curfew at LBA impact on these airlines. This report is dated 2024, our local BBC news reported recently that the curfew isn’t been kept to.

Public Inquiry to start into Leeds Bradford Airport night flights

The inquiry will consider the legal meaning of night-time flying rules at Leeds Bradford Airport.

www.bbc.co.uk

Leeds Bradford Airport served with enforcement notice over noisy night flights

Airport bosses have been served with an enforcement notice after overnight flights were found to have breached noise rules.

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk

Careful how you interpret ‘news’.

A Doncaster area MO and some cronies calling themselves a DSA action group had jumped on the Ryanair head of public affairs for a photo opportunity whilst he was in Whitehall on completely unrelated business. This Ryanair bod of course says ‘yes I’ll go suggest they talk to FlyDoncaster’. Thats it, that’s the story.

For a start this group of MPs have absolutely nothing to do with the reopening of Doncaster airport. Not only that but they could actually damage any real commercial negotiations that may be ongoing between the councils employed specialists MAI and potential airline passengers.

Even so, please watch the following video that is quite a frank and in truth stark warning of the true potential of DSA:

This is nothing more than political window dressing with a bit of arse covering thrown in for good measure.

We know that Oliver Coppard is busying himself to try to make the square peg fit the round hole in September for what is, we are told, to be the final decision on the Gainshare funding (and by implication the future of DSA).

The SAU report which we were told by Ros Jones was ‘on the whole positive’ is actually anything but. The report was critical of 5 out of the 7 criteria. Coppard will be doubling over in an attempt to try to make a compelling counter argument to all of those, but the facts remain that when Peel operated the airport they could only get airlines to start services on the back of subsidies and even indemnity against any losses an airline might incur. This failed. Using public subsidy for the purposes of doing the same thing will provide fertile ground for legal challenges which I anticipate will be launched by at least one airport, and with the SAU reports findings will mean that they’ll have a compelling legal argument against the use of public money to reopen the airport.

The whole thing has become a political mess where the goal posts have constantly changed. Ros Jones was elected on a very slim majority to get the airport reopened, but she has lied to the electorate.

We were told there were over 15 private sector investors waiting to buy in. The procurement exercise returned 0.

We have been told that Peel out priced themselves, this is demonstrably utter tripe.

We were told that the airspace was key to getting the airport reopened swiftly and that losing it would push the project back years. We were therefore told to sign a petition to call in the ACP decision. The SoS decided not to call in the decision and we are then told, but the same people wanting it called in, that this is great news!

We were even told that when the approach lights were dug up, these were being ‘stored’ (not possible by the way), but were now told that there is a current procurement exercise to source these approach lights.

If Coppard gives the green light in September (and I’m led to believe he’s going to, albeit with caveats) then this whole thing is going to turn into a monumental waste of money on quite epic proportions.

Its really quite frightening that, knowing what I do and certain things I can’t share due to commercial sensitivity, they are allowing themselves to push ahead with this in the knowledge that the odds of it actually working are heavily stacked against them. This isn’t just a few million we’re talking about, it’s almost the entire multi decade allocation of Gainshare funding for the City of Doncaster going on this one project that failed before due to the sheer amount of money it cost just to keep it open.

People won’t be told though, they just want their flights to Benidorm so they only have to spend 20 minutes getting to the airport rather than 60 on their once a year trip abroad.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Jul 2025 ==

Which are planned for withdrawal within the next 12 months I believe. All Jet2s remaining 737-300 are based at Leeds now with numbers dwindling as 321s get put into service and 737-800d transfer to Leeds.

2027-28 is I believe the current plan for them to leave the fleet, but this could of course change. Some have recently been through c-check so there may be an impetus to keep them flying as long as possible.

 

[Cloud Strife]

People won’t be told though, they just want their flights to Benidorm so they only have to spend 20 minutes getting to the airport rather than 60 on their once a year trip abroad.

I think there's a certain level of prestige associated with having an airport as well. You can see this in other countries too, where white elephant airports are kept (artificially) open just so that a local or regional government can use it for photo opportunities. Vaasa Airport in Finland is a textbook example, as are Olsztyn and Zielona Góra airports in Poland, and I'd also add Pula in Croatia to that list along with Rodez and Saint-Étienne in France. And the less said about some of the regional Spanish airports, the better.

 

[pug1]

I think there's a certain level of prestige associated with having an airport as well. You can see this in other countries too, where white elephant airports are kept (artificially) open just so that a local or regional government can use it for photo opportunities. Vaasa Airport in Finland is a textbook example, as are Olsztyn and Zielona Góra airports in Poland, and I'd also add Pula in Croatia to that list along with Rodez and Saint-Étienne in France. And the less said about some of the regional Spanish airports, the better.

I was involved in an audit prior to the opening of Corvera airport in Spain. An excellent airport with all the right facilities, but a bit too close to Alicante and too far away from the main tourist hot spots to make so much as a dent in the market.

UK is incomparable to some parts of Europe though. The bread and butter of uk regional airports is usually cheap (ish) outbound holiday destinations. It’s very rare that many airlines will offer interlining opportunities from small airports so KLM is a godsend in that regard, but they couldn’t be attracted to DSA previously and not without the want of trying by the owners!

There is prestige in having an airport, but that comes at a cost. In the case of DSA that’s a huge cost, particularly for an airport that could only really offer flights to outbound holiday makers. This is really about political pledges, it’s a huge amount of money to invest just to try save your seat at the next election whenever that might be.

 

[mpthomson]

I think there's a certain level of prestige associated with having an airport as well. You can see this in other countries too, where white elephant airports are kept (artificially) open just so that a local or regional government can use it for photo opportunities. Vaasa Airport in Finland is a textbook example, as are Olsztyn and Zielona Góra airports in Poland, and I'd also add Pula in Croatia to that list along with Rodez and Saint-Étienne in France. And the less said about some of the regional Spanish airports, the better.

You don’t have to go that far, you can see it a few miles outside Darlington.

 

[Cloud Strife]

I was involved in an audit prior to the opening of Corvera airport in Spain. An excellent airport with all the right facilities, but a bit too close to Alicante and too far away from the main tourist hot spots to make so much as a dent in the market.

Corvera Airport is really a textbook example of waste. They're now talking about over 300m Euro being spent on the airport when it was originally supposed to be cost-free for the taxpayer, and that's after the money that was spent on San Jaivier at the start of the 2000s too. San Jaivier even had/has a second runway that could have been lengthened at relatively little cost, and there was plenty of space to expand the terminal too. It didn't need to make a huge dent in the market, it was perfectly fine as a cheap airport that could attract cheap tourism.

And how could I forget about Castelló Airport?

It’s very rare that many airlines will offer interlining opportunities from small airports so KLM is a godsend in that regard, but they couldn’t be attracted to DSA previously and not without the want of trying by the owners!

I suppose the problem with DSA is also that it's just too far to make it worthwhile for people who want to use an airline like KLM. You can drive an hour to DSA from Nottingham, or you can drive an hour to Birmingham and have a choice of KLM, Air France, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, etc.

 

[daodao]

I think there's a certain level of prestige associated with having an airport as well. You can see this in other countries too, where white elephant airports are kept (artificially) open just so that a local or regional government can use it for photo opportunities. Vaasa Airport in Finland is a textbook example, as are Olsztyn and Zielona Góra airports in Poland, and I'd also add Pula in Croatia to that list along with Rodez and Saint-Étienne in France. And the less said about some of the regional Spanish airports, the better.

Pula is not an appropriate example of an underused airport. It is a major destination for incoming tourist flights to Istria and has nearly 1 million passengers pa, albeit mostly in the summer.

 

[Cloud Strife]

Pula is not an appropriate example of an underused airport.

Nowhere near. They had 509,397 passengers last year. They could easily be accommodated at Rijeka Airport, as Pula really only stays open in the winter months because of the PSO routes. Those PSO routes are largely an absurdity as well, especially the Pula - Zadar and Pula - Split routes.

 

[pug1]

Nowhere near. They had 509,397 passengers last year. They could easily be accommodated at Rijeka Airport, as Pula really only stays open in the winter months because of the PSO routes. Those PSO routes are largely an absurdity as well, especially the Pula - Zadar and Pula - Split routes.

I think PUY is complete opposite of DSA. Inbound tourism in that region is probably worth a lot to the local economy and so getting the passengers through the airport will have an arguable ROI. In the case of DSA, where the vast majority of passengers are taking their money out of the local economy, the argument for having one and subsidising it falls apart.

 

[westv]

I am assuming the (what seems long) delay in anything happening is because they are "negotiating" with airlines.

 

[mpthomson]

I am assuming the (what seems long) delay in anything happening is because they are "negotiating" with airlines.

No, it's because the decision to apply for funding isn't being made until mid September. As previously, there's only one interested airline, TUI, plus 2Excel have said that they'd move their 727s back there as it's closer to the North Sea.

 

[pug1]

No, it's because the decision to apply for funding isn't being made until mid September. As previously, there's only one interested airline, TUI, plus 2Excel have said that they'd move their 727s back there as it's closer to the North Sea.

Ironic given that 2Excel do not have the U.K. OSR contract at the moment, the aircraft are in SEN which is arguably closer to the North Sea and other territorial waters ( not that it matters). 2Excel do have the U.K. coast guard fixed wing contract though, but I understand the contract stipulates that the aircraft must be based in Humberside, Newquay and Prestwick. TUI have never confirmed a cast iron interest, they say they’d like to discuss the possibilities but that’s usually as far as airlines got with DSA as it was usually DSA doing the selling and the airlines doing the walking away and/or tactically making premature announcements to open channels of communication with competitors. This happened with Shaheen Air (later PIA) and I believe easyjet after the brief attempt at starting a base at DSA backfired massively.

The long delay has nothing to do with airline negotiations, airlines won’t negotiate until the airport is confirmed to be reopening. A risk in itself and why it’s inherently flawed of the council to reject any discussion over the history of the airport. What they’re actually doing is trying to fit the square peg in the round hole and they’re doing this by pursuing the ‘airport city’ concept which actually appears to have very little to do with the airport but they want to anchor the airport to it in order to justify the public investment. This is what’s taking the time to ‘get right’ in Coppards words. Well that and the very real threat of legal action following the highly critical SAU report which, it was claimed by Ros Jones herself, was ‘on the whole positive’. It’s inevitable that SYMCA will have their lawyers all over it in an attempt to bat off any action taken by private sector airport operators because the flimsy business case they submitted actually admitted they will offer a grant and this is arguably market distortion.

How can anyone believe a word these grifters are saying? Confirmation bias? Cognitive dissonance?

 

[pug1]

So the news today following an event that Oliver Coppard provided to the Doncaster Chamber regarding reopening DSA appears to have been a less than positive one according to news sources.

In summary:

The ROI appears to be lower than initially thought.

There isn’t likely to be passenger flights before 2028 if a positive decision on Gainshare is made next month (though GA and cargo may be quicker)

It’s still not fully understood whether a positive decision can be made at all, there are concerns over the viability of the project ‘if the lower passenger forecasts are realised’.

He still wants to go ahead with the sustainable airport project.

Reading between the lines it seems that there is no tangible airline interest. Some more astute followers appear to have noticed that mentions of DSA have disappeared from any Munich Airport International websites, although I question whether they were ever there in the first place.

I think Coppard is poised to say yes in September but with caveats.

 

[Killingworth]

Doncaster Free Press,

Doncaster Sheffield Airport: No passenger flights until 2028, says South Yorkshire Mayor​

https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.u...rport-no-passenger-flights-until-2028-5289072

Doncaster Sheffield Airport is unlikely to offer commercial passenger flights until 2028, the South Yorkshire Mayor has said.
In a keynote speech to members of the Doncaster Chamber on Tuesday, Oliver Coppard said reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) was not as simple as it may seem from the outside and was a long-term project.
He said: “We now know that while opening an airport is not a binary process, we’re now unlikely to be at full operational capacity until 2028.




“As a result, we would be unlikely to see commercial passenger flights into or out of DSA before then. Albeit we will of course aim for that to happen sooner.”

Oliver Coppard has told business leaders Doncaster Sheffield Airport will not reach "full operational capacity" until 2028, if it reopens. | LDRS

Coppard refuted social media commentary that he was not committed to reopening DSA, referring to those who suggest he needs to “F-ing get on with it”.


He said: “Let me be crystal clear, I have always wanted our airport to thrive; to act as a gateway to South Yorkshire, a magnet for investment and a central driver of opportunity for our whole community.
“My commitment to that goal has never simply been an empty promise.”

Read More​

• Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Date set for much-anticipated funding decision on £150m reopening project
• £255k approved for ‘assurance work’ on Oliver Coppard's Doncaster Sheffield Airport funding decision
• Doncaster Sheffield Airport ‘already open’ in planning terms, Mayor Jones tells council
• Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Mayor Jones still committed to getting airport open by spring 2026 despite delays
• Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Oliver Coppard says decision on funding to reopen site coming 'early September'
• Doncaster Mayor doubles down on election night claim Keir Starmer must ‘listen to the people’

The Mayor said he had been driven by two “very clear, yet potentially competing imperatives”.


One is the demand to save DSA and “exploit the huge opportunity” the project represents, but the other, he said, was “to protect the interests of taxpayers across South Yorkshire”.
He told the audience: “I have made, and will make, no apology for that approach; for doing the proper due diligence when being asked to potentially spend in excess of £150million of public money, to make real a project that has the potential to be either a huge economic driver, or a significant drain on public funds.”

Coppard said he wanted to highlight work he had already done in the project, including facilitating a visit from the prime minister and deputy prime minister – in which they confirmed a £30m package to support DSA’s reopening.


However, the Mayor added: “At this point I still cannot say we will be reopening DSA and creating a world leading sustainable aviation hub at Gateway East. There are still challenges for us to overcome.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service has previously confirmed the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority has set a date for Coppard’s decision on whether to release gainshare funding for the project.
The Mayor’s decision will be announced on September 9, 2025, when a meeting of the Mayoral Combined Authority Board will take place.
Coppard did not confirm what the decision will be, but the 2028 projection for commercial flights will be disappointing for those hopeful for the Spring 2026 reopening touted by Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones.


Following Coppard’s speech, a spokesperson for the Mayor Jones said: “Technically DSA is already open again with 2Excel planes back using the runway, but in relation to freight and passenger flights it will be a gradual re-opening.
“There of course remains a number of interdependencies. Once we have the Gainshare decision signed off in early September we can finalise our plans, including progressing with the Airspace and signing-up airlines and freight providers.”

 

[pug1]

Doncaster Free Press,

Doncaster Sheffield Airport: No passenger flights until 2028, says South Yorkshire Mayor​

https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.u...rport-no-passenger-flights-until-2028-5289072

Thanks for posting the full article. I read it as the first tacit acknowledgement by Coppard that Peel might have been right all along. I’d like to see the supporting documents but I fear these will not be made available prior to the decision day, there is of course no legal obligation to make these freely available (although they could with redactions!) but I feel a project of this size and risk profile should really require full transparency. It leads me to believe, as I’ve said on numerous occasions, that there is information they do not want the public to see as it may undermine the entire project. The statements by Coppard only serve to muddy the waters further and, even though I accept that the media outlets have probably latched on to the negative here, there is a subtext to the whole thing that anyone following this with blind optimism and a belief that Peel somehow were the orchestrators of the airports demise, might now feel a little deflated.

This is the problem with politicians shooting from the hip. They vowed to save the airport, they told their electorate that the airport was viable and did have a future and that it should never have closed.. Now they’re realising that perhaps it’s not as clear cut as they initially had people believe.

I still think he’ll approve at least some of the funding in September, to not do so would be a political disaster. However it does seem that there will need to be a bucket load of good will and a substantial amount of hope doing some heavy lifting to see this through to a reasonable outcome for all concerned.

It was never going to be easy, so delays were to be expected. But with the companies that matter remaining largely silent on it, and the few that have been vocal actually being quite negative on the subject, it makes things all the more difficult and any confidence that was existing in the project will be waning tonight.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Just flatten it and build 4,000 new homes on it already.

 

[Killingworth]

Just flatten it and build 4,000 new homes on it already.

Come back in 25 years and there'll certainly be more homes around the site, maybe not 4,000 though.

 

[Skymonster]

E) TRIGGER NOTAM - PERM AIRAC AIP AMDT 09/25 WEF 04 SEP 25 AD 2 EGNX 4-1 DONCASTER SHEFFIELD AIRSPACE REMOVED. CREATED: 23 Jul 2025 23:24:00

NOTAM: Doncaster Sheffield airspace permanently removed from 04/09/2025. That'll represent another challenge if the airport is to reopen: to get it reestablished.

 

[pug1]

E) TRIGGER NOTAM - PERM AIRAC AIP AMDT 09/25 WEF 04 SEP 25 AD 2 EGNX 4-1 DONCASTER SHEFFIELD AIRSPACE REMOVED. CREATED: 23 Jul 2025 23:24:00

NOTAM: Doncaster Sheffield airspace permanently removed from 04/09/2025. That'll represent another challenge if the airport is to reopen: to get it reestablished.

They had the nerve to spin this as a positive. Afrer spending the best part of 2 years, which included encouraging petitions to block the CAA from enacting the ACP, and requesting the DfT call in the decision (even though the CAA determined it didn’t meet call-in criteria), the decision by the DfT to not call it in after a 2 year delay was then sold as a win ‘cos we can get the airspace closed and the new proposal submitted quickly’.

It’s just another example of the farcical way this has been handled. There’s lots of public money, not to mention resources, that’s been funnelled into this Project already and so I find the lack of transparency disgraceful.

I didn’t support the opening of the airport back in the early 2000’s but at least it was a private backer using mostly private sector investment to open it.