'Successful economies need successful airports'

News that Doncaster Sheffield Airport could reopen in spring 2026 has been welcomed by campaigners and business owners alike.

On Monday, City of Doncaster Council said a new operator had been identified, and suggested the first passenger flights could take off within 18 months.

The airport has been mothballed since November 2022 after site owners Peel Group said it was not financially viable.

Now, with the site set to reopen following a lengthy campaign, the BBC spoke to those who are celebrating the news.

Craig Dowie runs The Crown Hotel, in Bawtry, just a few miles from the terminal building.

He said the first thing he did when he bought the property 18 years ago was to approach airlines for advice on his plans for a £1m revamp.

“We had a meeting at Luton Airport with Britannia Airways and said 'what do you want at the hotel?'," he said.

“We worked hand in hand with the airlines to make the hotel they desired.

"We changed and adapted our business to the needs of the client, so when the airport closed it was tough.”

He described Monday's announcement as "fantastic news".

“The economic impact is massive," he said.

"We have come off the back of two really bad years, with interest rates and inflation, but all of a sudden we have some green shoots.

“The mere fact that there is an operator means the economic impact and confidence will start immediately.

“It will be 18 months until the first flight but people will notice a difference as jobs will rise from day one and that is the most important part.

“The airport is not just about passengers, you have the maintenance crews, the cargo and all the other operations affiliated with the aviation industry.

“That is the big part for us - people getting jobs, the economic impact and having a buzz around not just Doncaster, but the wider region.”

Mark Chadwick, from the Save Doncaster Airport group, said: "I think the new operator will be a success because we don’t have Peel Holdings in charge now.

"This is the third airport they have tried to close or sell on but the new operator has the appetite for continuing with the airport.

“There were 35 interested parties originally and when the council went to source an operator that came down to 16.

"It took a year to find these suitable applicants so they are not messing about."

He said he hoped the airport would be able to run long-haul flights once again, having previously flown to America and Mexico.

"We don't know [where they will fly] but the opportunities are there, this is absolutely brilliant news, just superb," he said.

Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, said negotiations with the operator, who has not been named, were entering their final stages.

Work to reopen the airport is still reliant on securing financial backing, with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined being asked to release £3m.

An application to the Civil Aviation Authority to reinstate the airspace around the site is also being considered.

However, Dan Fell, chief executive of Doncaster Chamber, said it was a "significant milestone".

“This is incredibly heartening news, not only for Doncaster but for the wider region too," he said.

"Successful economies need successful airports in order to thrive and so the return of Doncaster Sheffield naturally has massive implications for South Yorkshire.”

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