Bringing Flights back to Doncaster Sheffield Airport
February 5, 2025
The City of Doncaster Council established airport operator FlyDoncaster as its wholly owned subsidiary, and has started the mobilisation of Doncaster-Sheffield Airport, which closed in November 2022. Previous owners the Peel Group had hoped to redevelop the site, expanding their adjacent Gateway East property development. After a judicial review was refused, the Mayor of Doncaster announced the council’s intention to undertake a compulsory purchase, and eventually a compromise was reached, under which the council confirmed that it had signed a 125 year lease to take over the airport.
Mayor Ros Jones said: “Reopening our airport is my number one priority and today’s announcement is an important day for Doncaster having reached another significant milestone. We are teaming up with our strategic partner Munich Airport International to press ahead with our plans to reopen our airport.”
“Munich Airport International has the pedigree in the field of aviation, share our ambition for a successful airport and they bring a wealth of experience, capacity and influence to work with us to deliver a thriving airport in Doncaster that will be a major economic stimulus for Doncaster, South Yorkshire and the North.”
“The team at FP Airports has worked with us creatively to put together the right solution for DSA and we are confident that the reopening and future operation of Doncaster’s airport is in good hands.”
“This major announcement that I am making today enables us to press ahead with the necessary airport mobilisation activity to see the airport – which I proudly call the people’s airport – to reopen in Spring 2026.
“I would like to thank everyone who has helped to get us to this stage from City of Doncaster cabinet members and officers, our Doncaster MPs, South Yorkshire Leaders, our business community including Doncaster Chamber and of course local people who have supported our efforts to reach this great news today and believed we could do it.”
Munich Airport International GmbH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Flughafen München GmbH, and is an internationally acclaimed airport operator. Its Managing Director, Lorenzo Di Loreto, said that: “We are proud to support and contribute to DSA’s re-opening. Our mission is to participate in the development of the airport in Doncaster into a top modern and competitive UK airport and to make it an engine and driver for social, economic and environmental growth in Doncaster and its region.”
Raoul Witherall, the Chief Executive of FP Airports Ltd, added: “FP Airports Ltd is proud to support the reopening of this historic airport site and to play a key role in the city’s vision.”
As well as securing international airport expertise to support and strategically partner the reopening of Doncaster airport, the Council enjoys heavyweight UK government backing, not least from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, who has reaffirmed government backed plans to reopen and “recreate South Yorkshire Airport City as a thriving regional airport.”
Activity has already commenced on restarting commercial flights and 2Excel has begun a return to the airport. This new development promises to accelerate progress on getting passenger flights back to Doncaster.
The history of the airport was outlined in our previous story at:
