Abandoned UK airport set to reopen in 2026 and attract £6.6bn visitors to region | United Kingdom | News
An abandoned airport in the UK, closed due to financial difficulties and a lack of sustainable passenger demand, is set to reopen in spring 2026. Doncaster Sheffield Airport in Yorkshire was closed in 2022 despite campaigns community and efforts to save the airport.
Opened in 2005, the airport was built on the site of the former RAF Finningley and has become known for its ease of access, modern facilities and flights to various domestic and European destinations.
The airport’s previous owners, Peel Group, cited financial difficulties to justify its closure. The prospects for recovery nevertheless seem promising, with the identification of a new operator.
Progress towards the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport is already underway, marked by the arrival of its first flight in two years earlier this week.
Aeronautics company 2Excel, which has operated a hangar at the site for more than a decade, has won permission from Doncaster City Council to bring back one of its aircraft as part of a winter maintenance programme.
The plane landed at DSA on Friday morning in a controlled, unlicensed flight, in the presence of Mayor Ros Jones and local MPs, reports Metro.co.uk
This event marks the start of a series of flights expected in the coming months as 2Excel gradually brings its aircraft back to Doncaster from other bases across the country.
Mayor Jones said: “We know how important the airport is to local people and businesses. So it’s great to see an aviation company already established in our city being able to use the site again.
“I have made the reopening of our beloved airport my number one priority. We are still working around the clock to reopen the airport by spring 2026 and further news will be available in early 2025. Progress is well underway and further updates will be given in the new year.
Since its closure, Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones and her Doncaster City Council cabinet along with community activists from the Save DSA group have been pushing to find ways to reopen the airport.
The airport is located approximately 7 miles east of Doncaster and 25 miles southeast of Sheffield. It occupies the former site of RAF Finningley, a Royal Air Force station.
The airport is easily accessible by road via the M18 motorway, with plenty of parking available for passengers.
It is also served by public transport, including bus services connecting the airport to neighboring towns.
