Doncaster Sheffield Airport: 'All options' considered to keep site open

Doncaster Sheffield Airport opened as an international commercial airport in 2005

The owners of an under-threat South Yorkshire airport have pledged to "look at all options" to keep it open, a council has said.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport owners Peel Group said in July that the site "may no longer be commercially viable".

Doncaster Council said the commitment from the company came in a meeting with officials from the council and South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

Peel Group said it would not comment until after the consultation ended.

A consultation into plans for Doncaster Sheffield Airport was launched by the company last month.

'All viable options'

In a statement, Doncaster Council said: "They [Peel Group] would be willing to consider a range of options that could result in the maintenance of aviation operations on the site.

"There is a mutual recognition that the airport and wider Gateway East site are inextricably linked, and all viable options are still on the table for discussion, including the sale to another owner/operator.

"Each of the options will now be further investigated within the extremely tight consultation period Peel has set for its strategic review, with an acknowledgement that this may need to be extended."

The statement added that "the urgency of this work cannot be underestimated and will be conducted at pace and commitment by Doncaster Council and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority".

The future of the airport was put in doubt after its directors said it had "never achieved the critical mass required to become profitable", citing issues including Covid and the impact of airline Wizz Air cancelling flights.

The site, which opened as an international commercial airport in 2005, handled more than one million passengers annually before pandemic restrictions and services from there fly to 50 destinations.