After the announcement that passenger flights would likely not resume until 2028, Mayor Ros Jones revealed in a statement that Doncaster Council aimed to have freight flights airborne from Doncaster Sheffield Airport by Summer 2026
A UK airport closed during the coronavirus pandemic looks set to reopen thanks to £160 million in funding.
The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) members voted unanimously to pledge £159.52m to the City of Doncaster Council to help relaunch and run Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA). The verdict has secured Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones’ promise to bring back DSA, which shut down in 2022, as it’s believed the scheme would probably have fallen through without the cash injection.
Thrilled by the outcome, Mayor Jones said: “This is an important day in our airport’s story. Today we have taken a huge step forward towards fully reopening our airport. This airport can and will be the success we all know it can be, it will not happen overnight, but this is a long-term investment in the Doncaster economy, to deliver jobs, growth and opportunities for our residents and future generations.
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“And finally, I must thank the people of Doncaster, over the last three years this airport has been the number one question on the doorstep, in the pub and across our communities. This airport is for all of you, it will be the people’s airport. Now, onwards and upwards!”.
The focus for the coming months will now be on advancing the DSA project to get planes back in the sky.
After the announcement that passenger flights would likely not resume until 2028, Mayor Jones revealed in a statement that Doncaster Council aimed to have freight flights airborne by Summer 2026.
The Reform UK-led Audit and Overview and Scrutiny committees at Doncaster Council will convene to discuss the airport issue. Once these meetings have occurred, Mayor Jones’ cabinet will follow suit ahead of November 2025’s full council meeting.
The Northern travel hub has been mothballed since November 2022, when just TUI operated flights out of the airport. At that point Peel Group announced that the airport was no longer viable and decided to shut its doors.
TUI has hinted that it may return to Doncaster Sheffield Airport, where it was flying services to Cyprus and Spain. A TUI spokesperson previously said: “TUI has always supported Doncaster Sheffield Airport, proudly flying customers from the region and were disappointed when the airport closed. We’re excited about actively engaging with stakeholders about a potential re-opening.”
The airport’s bosses will have to get permission from the Civil Aviation Authority to start using it commercially again. They plan to increase freight traffic by four times, in a bid to boost revenue.
Deborah Hogg, executive director of corporate resources for the council and a director of FlyDoncaster, added: “Because there is so much congestion elsewhere in particular relation to freight, this might provide a safety valve for bringing much-needed freight into the UK.”