Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Mayor defiant after return dates for flights pushed back again
The Mayor of Doncaster has attacked suggestions that the recent projection that passenger flights will return to Doncaster Sheffield Airport in ‘Spring 2028’ are another ‘pushback’. v.1
The Mayor of Doncaster has attacked suggestions that the recent projection that passenger flights will return to Doncaster Sheffield Airport in ‘Spring 2028’ are another ‘pushback’.
Her defence of the new target came in an interview on October 14, 2026, when it was highlighted that the expected passenger flight return timetable had changed again.
The Mayor of Doncaster has maintained for a number of months that passenger flights would return during the Winter of 2027/28, which itself was worked back from previous predictions of Spring 2027 and Spring 2026.
“There are estimates at the time, as we’ve done all along,” she explained, despite the fact the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) have said passenger flights would return in mid-2028 for more than a year.
She also confirmed during the interview that freight flights were not expected until early 2027 for freight flights.
Her last public projection for freight was the ‘end of 2026’, meaning that timeline had also been delayed.
During the interview, which was held at the City of Doncaster Council offices in the city centre, Mayor Jones’ political assistant, Rob Gibbon, stated that the conflict in Iran had added ‘six to eight months’ to flights returning.
They said that the conflict had led to increased demand worldwide for radar and military equipment, pushing DSA down the priority list for suppliers as nations forked out for new technology.
However, Mayor Jones said it was important that Doncaster Council and SYMCA begin to ‘demonstrate how far we’ve come along the track’.
She said: “Everything will be hindered when there’s uncertainty, but I think the uncertainty has actually been put out there.
“You don’t acquire fire engines, you don’t acquire staff, you don’t acquire a radar, you don’t acquire emergency landing lights, without it going ahead.”
The future of the reopening continues to rely on the successful renegotiation of the DSA lease between Doncaster Council and the Peel Group, the landowners.
Mayor Jones and her team provided their biggest hint yet that the negotiations has been successful, with the Mayor saying the discussions were now with SYMCA, and Mr Gibbon revealing reports for the SYMCA Board meeting on October 27, 2026, will ‘answer that question’.