Doncaster Sheffield-3
I agree, won’t make a difference. This needs real stakeholder input and feasibility studies including industry heavyweights as to whether they would ever be interested in flying from DSA. If as I suspect is the case that not many have it on their radar, then a full and frank appraisal needs to be made. At the moment this is just being used as political ammunition and nothing more.
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Here is part of the update from Nick Fletcher today.
AIRPORT CLOSURE - WEEK 36 JOINT STATEMENT This week saw the issue of the joint statement of the Mayors of Doncaster and South Yorkshire and the 3 MPs in Doncaster. CPO I called for a CPO of the airport from the outset. That was in July 2022 when the airport was first threatened with closure. I was told then and since that it was premature and that it couldn’t be done. I disagreed. I knew then as I do now that there is a great deal of preparation that has to be done before the process can start. There is no reason why that should not have been started then. It would also have signalled to Peel that we were serious. We are where we are though and sadly we can’t go back in time. The CPO process has started so we need to ensure it doesn’t falter or get delayed. PEEL’S ANNOUNCEMENT I have also written to the Mayor regarding Peel’s announcement (reported in the Yorkshire Post - 06.03.23) that they have had no contact for four months and that since then the consortium have not provided any evidence at all of their financial status which is necessary for money laundering and counter-terrorism Both Mayors have assured me that the UAE Consortium is credible and that it has made a credible offer. I have been in contact with Peel and they have stated the information they have requested with regards to any purchase of such an asset at present has not been forthcoming. It doesn’t affect the CPO though which must be driven through as quickly as possible.
AIRPORT CLOSURE - WEEK 36 JOINT STATEMENT This week saw the issue of the joint statement of the Mayors of Doncaster and South Yorkshire and the 3 MPs in Doncaster. CPO I called for a CPO of the airport from the outset. That was in July 2022 when the airport was first threatened with closure. I was told then and since that it was premature and that it couldn’t be done. I disagreed. I knew then as I do now that there is a great deal of preparation that has to be done before the process can start. There is no reason why that should not have been started then. It would also have signalled to Peel that we were serious. We are where we are though and sadly we can’t go back in time. The CPO process has started so we need to ensure it doesn’t falter or get delayed. PEEL’S ANNOUNCEMENT I have also written to the Mayor regarding Peel’s announcement (reported in the Yorkshire Post - 06.03.23) that they have had no contact for four months and that since then the consortium have not provided any evidence at all of their financial status which is necessary for money laundering and counter-terrorism Both Mayors have assured me that the UAE Consortium is credible and that it has made a credible offer. I have been in contact with Peel and they have stated the information they have requested with regards to any purchase of such an asset at present has not been forthcoming. It doesn’t affect the CPO though which must be driven through as quickly as possible.
I am continually amazed by the ability of people to raise cash for Airships - they area money pit and never seem to succeed
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Another pipe dream.
It will never happen.
The Doncaster MPs are desperately trying to get good news for the area. They're putting all their eggs in the Airlander and Rail HQ baskets (which won't come to Doncaster)
You can't blame them though, when the only private sector for investment in the city is just warehouse after warehouse.
It will never happen.
The Doncaster MPs are desperately trying to get good news for the area. They're putting all their eggs in the Airlander and Rail HQ baskets (which won't come to Doncaster)
You can't blame them though, when the only private sector for investment in the city is just warehouse after warehouse.
Apparently they have an order to fulfil which is why they are looking at a purpose built facility as Cardington can’t be expanded. It’s potential jobs and would probably contribute more to the economy than an under performing airport. It’s not something I know much about though so you may be right, but I wish them well.
At a recent LBA consultative committee meeting, the situation with Wizz was discussed. They have said that even when DSA was open, the vast majority of the passengers using their services had O&D in West Yorkshire, and they have seen high profitable load factors since moving to LBA. They have said they will not return to DSA in any scenario should the airport reopen.
It was also said that several airports touted for the Wizz business, including one to the North East of LBA (presumably Teesside) which offered to pay them to fly from there, however they chose LBA due to access to the market.
It was also said that several airports touted for the Wizz business, including one to the North East of LBA (presumably Teesside) which offered to pay them to fly from there, however they chose LBA due to access to the market.
Last edited by pug; 18th Mar 2023 at 15:24.
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Wizz were looking at Leeds for a long, long time before the closure of DSA.
If by some miracle it did reopen, there would only be a chance of TUI. No one else will ever touch the place..
If by some miracle it did reopen, there would only be a chance of TUI. No one else will ever touch the place..
CPO I called for a CPO of the airport from the outset. That was in July 2022 when the airport was first threatened with closure. I was told then and since that it was premature and that it couldn’t be done. I disagreed. I knew then as I do now that there is a great deal of preparation that has to be done before the process can start. There is no reason why that should not have been started then. It would also have signalled to Peel that we were serious. We are where we are though and sadly we can’t go back in time.
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At a recent LBA consultative committee meeting, the situation with Wizz was discussed. They have said that even when DSA was open, the vast majority of the passengers using their services had O&D in West Yorkshire, and they have seen high profitable load factors since moving to LBA. They have said they will not return to DSA in any scenario should the airport reopen.
It was also said that several airports touted for the Wizz business, including one to the North East of LBA (presumably Teesside) which offered to pay them to fly from there, however they chose LBA due to access to the market.
It was also said that several airports touted for the Wizz business, including one to the North East of LBA (presumably Teesside) which offered to pay them to fly from there, however they chose LBA due to access to the market.
Times have changed since DSA originally opened. The prospect of Airtours never materialised but they didn’t survive anyway, Thompson Fly offered a low cost opportunity only to die in favour of IT operations, but alone Thompson/ TUI didn’t base the numbers needed, Ryanair played DSA against LBA and LBA won, Easyjet offered City flights to an immature market on W patterns with bad timings and worst of all an up and coming low cost airline chose LBA as a base (and let’s face it without Jet2 LBA would be in trouble).
Had the realisation that 4 based aircraft was never going to bring in the profitable pax numbers hit home in 2008 then DSA might have been in a different situation.
The market that brings volume revenue to the regional airports (med flights) has shrunk in terms of operators who still exist. If one of the only players DSA did have on their side will not return then there is little chance of DSA bringing in the 4 million pax needed to achieve profitable operation.
And yet Wizz have only 2 arrivals today and none tomorrow at LBA, not the same operation they had at DSA. Perhaps they have taken the opportunity to consolidate flights between the airports they can operate from.
Times have changed since DSA originally opened. The prospect of Airtours never materialised but they didn’t survive anyway, Thompson Fly offered a low cost opportunity only to die in favour of IT operations, but alone Thompson/ TUI didn’t base the numbers needed, Ryanair played DSA against LBA and LBA won, Easyjet offered City flights to an immature market on W patterns with bad timings and worst of all an up and coming low cost airline chose LBA as a base (and let’s face it without Jet2 LBA would be in trouble).
Had the realisation that 4 based aircraft was never going to bring in the profitable pax numbers hit home in 2008 then DSA might have been in a different situation.
The market that brings volume revenue to the regional airports (med flights) has shrunk in terms of operators who still exist. If one of the only players DSA did have on their side will not return then there is little chance of DSA bringing in the 4 million pax needed to achieve profitable operation.
Times have changed since DSA originally opened. The prospect of Airtours never materialised but they didn’t survive anyway, Thompson Fly offered a low cost opportunity only to die in favour of IT operations, but alone Thompson/ TUI didn’t base the numbers needed, Ryanair played DSA against LBA and LBA won, Easyjet offered City flights to an immature market on W patterns with bad timings and worst of all an up and coming low cost airline chose LBA as a base (and let’s face it without Jet2 LBA would be in trouble).
Had the realisation that 4 based aircraft was never going to bring in the profitable pax numbers hit home in 2008 then DSA might have been in a different situation.
The market that brings volume revenue to the regional airports (med flights) has shrunk in terms of operators who still exist. If one of the only players DSA did have on their side will not return then there is little chance of DSA bringing in the 4 million pax needed to achieve profitable operation.
Not sure what you are referring to that happened in 2008? They had persistently attempted to attract other airlines but they were not interested. They offered KLM a good deal to relocate from Humberside which was rebuffed.
No point in focussing on the airlines that have now gone, it was always going to happen as the market matured. Alas the predictions over the airport highlighted during the public enquiry of 2002/3 have come to pass - and like you say, they cannot justify reopening the facility in the hope that only TUI will return. easyJet are likely to expand at LBA when there is sufficient room for them to do so.
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Post CPO Perhaps the only viable future for DSA would be a MAG buyout, Peel would hate it but so would AMP - that way MAN and EMA aren’t losers and their pull over FR/TUI/U2 sort of fits with any prospective growth, even LS would surely want to pick up some of that TUI market they had to themselves (yep I get market dilution with EMA and LBA but EMA and BHX survive together). DSA’s not dead until the terminal comes down and the runway is dug up.
Post CPO Perhaps the only viable future for DSA would be a MAG buyout, Peel would hate it but so would AMP - that way MAN and EMA aren’t losers and their pull over FR/TUI/U2 sort of fits with any prospective growth, even LS would surely want to pick up some of that TUI market they had to themselves (yep I get market dilution with EMA and LBA but EMA and BHX survive together). DSA’s not dead until the terminal comes down and the runway is dug up.
One of the key determinants in the granting of a CPO (or not) is viability. The authority pushing for a CPO must prove, with recent evidence, that the scheme they intend for the land upon which they wish to purchase is viable. If they cannot do this, or there is evidence to the contrary, then the CPO will be rejected. Peel will have the evidence and this will be backed up by PWC and York Aviation. Another is finance, can DMBC/SYMCA prove they have the necessary capital to purchase DSA?
The only interested party that have made Peel an acceptable offer have been unable to provide Peel with the information they require to be able take the offer seriously. The other two parties that showed interest initially quickly backed out.
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Post CPO Perhaps the only viable future for DSA would be a MAG buyout, Peel would hate it but so would AMP - that way MAN and EMA aren’t losers and their pull over FR/TUI/U2 sort of fits with any prospective growth, even LS would surely want to pick up some of that TUI market they had to themselves (yep I get market dilution with EMA and LBA but EMA and BHX survive together). DSA’s not dead until the terminal comes down and the runway is dug up.
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