The airport closed in November 2022 after operator Peel Group deemed it financially unviable
Doncaster Sheffield Airport is planned to reopen after closing in 2022(Image: Getty Images)
A step forward has been taken towards the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport. The airport shut in 2022 after operator Peel Group declared it no longer financially viable.
A bold £160-million reopening plan, supported by local councils in South Yorkshire, could see commercial passenger flights return by 2028. Doncaster Sheffield Airport is currently working alongside operator Fly Doncaster to identify suitable airport operational partners. Fixed Base Operator partners would provide support for business and private aviation, including aircraft fuelling, handling and parking in addition to support for passengers and crews.
Simon Hinchley, executive director for Airport Operations at FlyDoncaster, said: “As we work towards re-opening Doncaster Sheffield Airport, our focus is firmly on building a safe, efficient and operationally robust airport that is ready to serve a broad range of users from day one.”
The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority said: “Doncaster Sheffield Airport closed in November 2022, leaving South Yorkshire one of the largest UK city regions without an international aviation presence.
“South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, and Council Leaders have taken a historic decision to re-open Doncaster Sheffield Airport, approving a £160-million funding package that will see commercial flights return to the region.” According to Fly Doncaster, the refurbished terminal will be able to handle up to four million passengers a year.
By 2050, the airport is expected to inject £5-billion into the regional economy. Originally opened in 1915 as Finningley airfield, it was a base for the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War to intercept German Zeppelins.
With a runway stretching to a length of 2,895 metres, the airport was capable of handling some of the largest and heaviest aircraft in the world and was home to the V-bomber. Doncaster Sheffield originally began operating as a commercial passenger airport in 2005 when it was known as Robin Hood Airport before rebranding in 2016.