A commercial airport in the UK that closed three-and-a-half years ago is preparing to reopen, featuring one of the country's longest runways. Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA), near Finningley in Doncaster, was previously known as Robin Hood Airport, operating flights from 2005 to popular holiday destinations such as Alicante, Majorca, and Paris. However, it was forced to shut down indefinitely in 2022 after its owners, Peel Group, deemed it financially unviable.
The closure left South Yorkshire without an international airport, a significant blow to the region. But in September last year, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) formally approved a £160 million funding package built on earlier commitments to reopen the airport as DSA. Supporters of the project view this as a potentially transformative moment for the local economy.
Revival After Campaigning
The airport's revival came after persistent campaigning by residents and local politicians, backed by the Labour Government. One of its runways stretches 1.8 miles, making it England's eighth longest commercial runway once operational again, according to The Sun.
However, plans were thrown into doubt in April amid a dispute within Doncaster City Council over a £57 million loan to support reopening efforts. Reform UK councillors raised concerns about whether taxpayers would see a return on investment. The deadlock was broken in May when they dropped their opposition, provided they could scrutinise the lease agreement under renegotiation with the site's owners.
Preparations Moving Forward
A new survey has been launched by council-owned airport operator FlyDoncaster Ltd, alongside partners Munich Airport International, seeking opinions from customers on preferred business and holiday destinations and expectations for the terminal. Christian Foster, Director of FlyDoncaster Ltd, said: “We’re in discussion with a number of airlines and while we’ve proven the wider need and appetite for this airport reopening, this survey takes things to the next level in terms of understanding customer priorities.”
Foster added: “We’ve made a number of positive steps with regards to providers and routes, and having this data will help progress those conversations further as we firm-up plans with our airline partners.” The survey takes about five minutes to complete and will remain open until June 30.
Several important milestones have already been achieved, including FlyDoncaster taking control of the site and overseeing preparations for the return of commercial aviation. Discussions are ongoing with potential airline partners, and work on terminal facilities is underway. Limited passenger flights could restart as early as late 2027, with full operations planned for 2028.
