Doncaster Sheffield Airport set to close down after WizzAir departure

Flights at Doncaster Sheffield Airport will begin to wind down from the end of October after bosses decided that the airport will shut down.

The airport, which is a key travelling route for Lincolnshire’s holiday-goers, has been under threat of closure ever since the proposed departure of WizzAir from the airport in July.

This left DSA with just TUI as a base carrier operating from the airport, prompting site owners the Peel Group to announce a consultation with stakeholders that would evaluate its future.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport was bought out by Peel Group in 1999 and opened as a commercial international airport in 2005, but it has struggled to meet financial targets despite a recent growth in passenger numbers.

Bosses argued that the airport “never achieved the critical mass required to become profitable” in a strategic review of the site, which has now concluded with this news of impending closure.

A Wizz Air flight from Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

Despite local MPs and a large petition calling for the closure to be reversed, it has been concluded that the airport was “not viable due to its lack of adequate forward revenues and high operating costs.”

A date has not been set for closure, but flights will start winding down from October 31 – with a consultation process underway with airport staff. It is thought to employ more than 800 people, and a further 2,700 jobs in the supply chain will be affected.

Robert Hough, Chairman of Peel Airports Group, which includes Doncaster Sheffield Airport, said: “We recognise that this will come as a great disappointment to many. The intractable problem remains the fundamental and insufficient lack of current or prospective revenue streams, together with the airport’s high operating costs.

“Our employees have always been DSA’s greatest asset, and we are grateful to them all, past and present, for their dedication and diligence over the years. The immediate priority remains to continue engaging closely with them over the next few weeks. 

“As such, DSA will now begin a formal process of consulting with team members.

“We will do everything we can to minimise the impact of these proposals and work closely with local authorities and agencies to support our employees through what we know will be an extremely difficult period.

“DSA has remained in contact with union representatives on site throughout and we are committed to ensuring they are updated through every step of this next phase.”