Doncaster Sheffield Airport

Doncaster Sheffield Airport
IATA: DSA – ICAO: EGCN
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Peel Group
Operator	Doncaster Sheffield Airport Limited
Serves	Doncaster, Sheffield
Location	Finningley, South Yorkshire
Opened	April 2005
Elevation AMSL	56 ft / 17 m
Coordinates	53°28′31″N 001°00′15″W / 53.47528°N 1.00417°W / 53.47528; -1.00417Coordinates: 53°28′31″N 001°00′15″W / 53.47528°N 1.00417°W / 53.47528; -1.00417
Website	flydsa.co.uk
Map
DSA Location in South Yorkshire
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 02/20 2,893 9,491 Asphalt
Statistics (2015)
Passengers 857,109 Passenger change (14-15) 18.2% Aircraft Movements 11,998 Movements change (14-15) 2.6%
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1] Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority[2]

Doncaster Sheffield Airport (IATA: DSA, ICAO: EGCN), formerly named Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield, is an international airport located at the former RAF Finningley station at Finningley, in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster within South Yorkshire, England. The airport lies 3 miles (5 kilometres) southeast of Doncaster^[1] and 18 mi (29 km) east of Sheffield. Handling 857,109 passengers in 2015, the airport is the smaller of Yorkshire's two large commercial airports, the other being Leeds Bradford Airport.^[2]

The airport was initially operated by Peel Airports, a division of The Peel Group. At this time, Peel Airports also owned and managed Liverpool John Lennon Airport and City Airport Manchester. Peel Airports also owned a 75% stake in Durham Tees Valley Airport, the remaining 25% being owned by local councils in the DTVA area.^[3] Doncaster Sheffield Airport has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (Number P876) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction.

History

The airport owes its origins to military aviation, having been founded as Finningley Airfield in 1915.

During the First World War, it was used as a base by the Royal Flying Corps as they intercepted German Zeppelins targeting the industrial cities of the North. In the Second World War the airfield was used primarily for training purposes, serving as a finishing school for new crews of the larger aircraft in Bomber Command; only a few combat missions took off from Finningley. The Cold War saw the airfield's importance rise when it was used for nuclear-armed Vulcan bombers. Training once again became the priority in the 1970s and 1980s before the airport was decommissioned in 1995.

Following the ending of scheduled services from Sheffield City Airport, Finningley was reopened as Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield (DSA) in April 2005 after low-cost flights and rising passenger demand made a new commercial airport feasible.^[4] The name of the airport was controversial with 11,000 people signing a petition to oppose it.^[5]

The airport's first commercial flight flew to Palma de Mallorca in Majorca, departing at 0915 on 28 April 2005.^[6][7] The airport was projected to serve at least a million passengers during 2006. The actual figure for its first year was 899,000, making the airport the 23rd largest in the UK. By August 2007 the new airport had handled 2.28 million passengers.

Long haul flights to North America began in summer 2007, with Flyglobespan operating to Hamilton, Ontario (for Toronto), and Thomsonfly to Orlando, Cancún and Puerto Plata. All these routes have since been discontinued. In 2007 over one million passengers used the airport, however this had decreased to around 700,000 by 2012.^[2]

In December 2009, EasyJet announced that from April 2010 it would operate flights from Doncaster to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Faro, Palma de Mallorca and Prague. These flights were expected to carry 300,000 passengers in the first year of operation.^[8] However, EasyJet withdrew all flights from the airport with effect from 4 January 2011.

By 2010 the Peel Group was attempting to secure outside investment for Peel Airports. In June 2010 it was announced that Vantage Airport Group (formerly Vancouver Airport Services) had agreed to buy a 65% stake in Peel Airports, with The Peel Group retaining the remaining 35%.^[9] However, following a significant decline in passenger numbers,^[10] Peel Airports sold Durham Tees Valley Airport back to the Peel Group in February 2012.^[3] In the second half of 2012, monthly passenger numbers at Robin Hood fell significantly^[11] and in December 2012 it was announced that Robin Hood would also be sold back to the Peel Group.^[12] As a result, by January 2013 only Liverpool John Lennon Airport was still owned by Peel Airports, with Vantage Airport Group owning 65% of this company.^[13] At Durham Tees Valley Airport and Robin Hood Airport, Vantage's involvement had ended. Robin Hood Airport was once again wholly owned by The Peel Group,^[14] while at Durham Tees Valley Airport The Peel Group were majority shareholders, with local councils retaining a minority stake. In 2014, Peel took back full ownership of Liverpool John Lennon, bringing all of Peel's Airports back into group ownership, with Liverpool retaining its own management structure separate to Doncaster and Durham.

In December 2016, the airport received an entirely new corporate design including a namechange from Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield to Doncaster Sheffield Airport with the Robin Hood-title being downgraded to a fewer used graphic appendix.

Facilities

The airport has a single runway designated 02/20, with a length of 2,895 by 60 m (9,498 by 197 ft), making it longer and wider than those at many other airports in Northern England. This stems from the airport's history as a former long-range nuclear bomber base (see RAF Finningley), and makes the airport suitable for wide-bodied, long-haul or cargo-carrying aircraft. The runway is long enough that the airport was designated a Space Shuttle emergency landing site. There is significant room at the airport for further passenger and cargo capacity expansion in the future. As it stands, terminal capacity is around 2.5 million passengers annually.

The passenger terminal has 24 check in desks, 6 departure gates and 3 baggage carousels. World Duty Free, WH Smith and Wetherspoons have retail areas within the terminal as well as gaming facilities. In December 2015, a new Subway store opened inside the airport terminal.

As of June 2016, the airport is one of the few in the UK that is unable to accept mobile boarding passes for its flights, instead requiring customers to print a paper boarding pass before arriving at the airport.

Few landside facilities exist. "The Running Horse" is a pub/cafe serving passengers who have cleared security

A Ramada Encore chain hotel opened on 10 November 2008, with a 102-bed capacity.^[15] It is situated about ten minutes' walk from the Terminal building, and although the city-centre bus leaves from in front of the Terminal building and travels directly past the hotel, there is no way of boarding or alighting the bus there.

Work is also progressing on a new business park across from the terminal, which will link to the access road into the airport. In March 2014 the 10-hectare (25-acre) site for the park became part of Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone.^[16]

Defence company BAE Systems formerly operated its Aircraft Maintenance Academy from No. 3 Hangar at the airport, before moving to Humberside airport. Other companies that operate within the hangars include Bespoke Training Systems Limited, Kinch Aviation Services – a facility for the maintenance of the Cessna Citation, which also includes an aircraft spray facility,^[17] and Anglo European Express (Doncaster) Ltd – onsite regulated agents for air freight and cargo operations.

The airport is home to Doncaster Sheffield Flight Training.^[18]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Cargo

Vulcan XH558

In 2011, the Vulcan to the Sky Trust relocated Avro Vulcan XH558 (G-VLCN) The Spirit Of Great Britain to the airport, arriving from its former temporary winter base, RAF Lyneham, on 29 March. It was the last airworthy example of the Vulcan bomber fleet, restored to flight by the Trust in 2007. One of the reasons for the move to a commercial airport was to improve access for the public to see XH558 up close, something not possible while based at operational RAF bases. The move was deliberately not announced in advance, both to keep costs down at the not yet complete new base, and to not overshadow ongoing repatriation flights of Britain's war casualties to Lyneham from Afghanistan.^[29] The airport remained XH558's home base until its final flight, a display over the airport, on 28 October 2015.^[30]

With XH558 now permanently grounded, the Trust intends to remain at Robin Hood airport, and make the Vulcan the focus of a new educational and heritage facility, the first stage being to establish the Vulcan Aviation Academy & Heritage Centre. This will feature an academy building for 14-18 year olds, with the Vulcan housed in an adjacent heritage centre, where it will be maintained so as to be able to perform regular fast taxi runs, the frequency of which would be funding dependent.^[31][32]

Statistics

Traffic statistics

Traffic statistics at Doncaster^[2]

Year	Passengers handled	Passenger % change	Cargo (tonnes)	Cargo % change	Aircraft movements	Aircraft % change
2005	600,907	26 !	31	26 !	6,914	26 !
2006	900,067	21 !49.8	167	22 !438.7	10,642	53.9
2007	1,078,374	18 !19.8	1,602	15 !859.3	12,667	19
2008	968,481	22 !10.2	1,350	11 !15.7	13,066	3.1
2009	835,768	23 !13.7	344	24 !74.5	10,854	16.9
2010	876,153	20 !4.8	216	02 !37.2	11,030	1.6
2011	822,877	09 !6.1	102	19 !52.8	11,876	7.7
2012	693,661	09 !15.7	276	24 !170.6	11,724	1.3
2013	690,351	09 !0.5	354	23 !28.3	11,197	4.5
2014	724,885	20 !5	858	22 !142.4	11,697	4.5
2015	857,109	20 !18.2	3,201	22 !273.1	11,998	2.6

Busiest routes

10 busiest routes to and from Doncaster Sheffield Airport (2015)

Rank	Airport	Passengers handled	% change 2014/15
1	Katowice	77,627	38.9
2	Gdańsk	76,029	17.9
3	Palma de Mallorca	56,609	8.9
4	Poznań	54,101	24.0
5	Wrocław	48,618	11.8
6	Warsaw	44,286	20.2
7	Tenerife–South	42,770	10.1
8	Vilnius	40,597	30.5
9	Málaga	38,495	18.7
10	Alicante	38,311	0.5
Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority [33]

Financial performance

The airport has struggled financially throughout its history. In August 2008, a BBC report revealed that losses were averaging £1 million per month.^[34] In August 2012, a news report claimed that operating losses had reduced, but were still in excess of £3 million per year.^[35]

Ground transportation

Road

The airport is located close to the M18 motorway, a direct road link from Junction 3 of the M18 to Parrot's Corner (junction of the A638 and the B6463) was opened on 29 February 2016 [BBC Look North]. Originally part of the Finningley and Rossington Regeneration Route Scheme (FARRRS) the road is now called the Great Yorkshire Way, and is a continuation of the A6182 from Doncaster town centre. In addition the M18 has been widened to three lanes (from two) from junction 2 (A1(M)) to Junction 3. Also nearby are the A1(M) Motorway and the M180.

Rail

Doncaster station is 7 mi (11 km) from the airport. Doncaster is 1 hour 30 minutes from London Kings Cross or 30 minutes from Leeds City on the east coast main line. The journey to Sheffield station is around 20 to 25 minutes. One local bus service links Doncaster station with the airport.

In addition, the airport lies alongside the Doncaster to Lincoln railway line, and plans for a station at Finningley to replace the station that closed in 1961 were granted planning permission in 2008. However, a 2012 report by Network Rail stated that more trains on the line would be required to make the station viable.^[36]

Bus

There are regular bus services linking the airport with Doncaster, Barnsley and other surrounding areas.

A new express bus service between Doncaster and Doncaster Sheffield Airport was re-launched on 4 September 2016. The X4 bus, which is operated by First will pick up travellers from the Frenchgate Interchange in Doncaster, and Parrot’s Corner (Doncaster South Park & Ride) and drop off at Doncaster Sheffield Airport leaving every 30 minutes between Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sundays. Tickets cost £3 for a single, £5 for an open return and £6 for a group ticket for up to any 4 people.

Currently, no direct bus connects the airport with Sheffield city centre. Public transport users must take the bus to Doncaster then switch to a Sheffield-bound bus or train.

Accidents and incidents

• On 6 January 2010, Paul Chambers, who was intending to travel from Doncaster Sheffield, posted a message to Twitter threatening to bomb the airport. He was later arrested, tried and convicted of sending a menacing message. In July 2012, the conviction was quashed on appeal. . .

• On 15 August 2014, a Links Air flight from Belfast City Airport operated by G-GAVA crashed on landing at Doncaster Sheffield, following a landing gear failure, causing substantial damage to the aircraft. One passenger was taken to hospital for treatment from minor injuries - resulting in the airport's closure for several hours. There were no fatalities.

The airport in the media

During its first few years of operation, the aAirport has featured in the media, in particular numerous articles on its status as the UK's newest international airport have seen it become part of the debate into air tourism and environmental issues. On 24 January 2007, the airport featured in the BBC Two documentary Should I Really Give Up Flying?, with Doncaster actor Brian Blessed fronting local opinions on the issue.

• The airport has also been a filming location for popular television series such as ITV's Emmerdale,^[37] BBC One drama Hustle.^[38] and In the Club (TV series)

• The airport was also a filming location for Film4 Productions film Four Lions.^[39]

• the airport was also the joint sponsor, along with Thomsonfly, of ITV Regional Weather in South Yorkshire.

• Doncaster Sheffield Airport was also used as one of the settings for the BBC mockumentary Come Fly with Me. Matt Lucas and David Walliams spent two weeks at the airport filming.^[40] The programme aired from Christmas 2010 through January 2011.

• The airport (or at that time RAF Finningley) had several appearances in the 1984 BBC nuclear war docudrama Threads where it was destroyed by a Soviet nuclear warhead.

Airport name

A statue of the airport's namesake Robin Hood.

Until December 2016, the airport was branded Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield. It was renamed 'Robin Hood' based on the following local information:

1. The airport has a historical connection to Nottinghamshire (as the parish of Finningley was, until 1974 and the Local Government Act 1972, administered as part of Nottinghamshire) and still resides in the boundary of the Diocese of Nottingham.^[41]
2. Some later Robin Hood legends – and the popular 20th century books, films and TV programmes are set in Sherwood Forest.^[42]
3. The Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster is closer to what is left of Sherwood Forest than the city of Nottingham is.^[43]
4. The forests of Sherwood and Barnsdale merged in this area of Yorkshire.^[44]
5. The name would provide an identity which would raise a lot of attention (if a little controversy) for the airport and create a marketing opportunity.^[45]

References

External links

Media related to Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website