The Doncaster-Sheffield Airport, commonly known as the Robin Hood Airport, has announced it will close.
Following a strategic review in September 2022, the Peel Group announced that ‘no tangible proposals have been received regarding ownership of the airport or which address the fundamental lack of financial viability”.
The airport will begin winding down operations at the airport from 31 October 2022; customers will be able to gain support from the airport regarding service reduction and disruption over the coming weeks.
With the Strategic Review announced back in July 2022, the Peel Group had weekly meetings with local and national political stakeholders, alongside offices at Doncaster Council, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and the Department for Transport. Despite this, the Peel Group confirmed that “none of these discussions has delivered any tangible results that have changed the Board of DA or Peel’s clear view that the Airport is and will remain unviable.”
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.”
