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Airport boss unconcerned about £1m monthly loss
NEW airport boss Mike Morton is confident of Robin Hood's future despite it losing £1m a month and struggling to attract airlines.
Reports of losses at the Finningley airport - the country's newest international airport were confirmed by its new director who took up his post last month.
Mr Morton said that a financial deficit was expected during the airport's infancy and blamed the losses on the current economic climate.
He is not worried about the situation, insisting that the Peel Holdings-run airport is on course for long term success.
He said: "I don't deny that we are losing around 1 million a month.
"The fact of the matter is that Peel has invested in the region of 150 million to establish what we have here now.
"We were not expecting to make a profit in the first or second year.
"Peel is determined to make this airport successful but it was never seen as a short term deal - we were always going to be in it for the long play."
He added: "Revenues have been hit hard on the back of economic downturn and on the back of oil prices.
"It all adds to the pressures of the business."
Peel sees freight flying as a key area in the airport's development and will soon seek approval for round-the-clock flying.
Mr Morton said: "I want to make clear that we are already 24-hour airport.
"We are committed to working with the local community to address their concerns."
Increasing the volume of freight traffic was important in attracting more businesses to develop the borough's regeneration.," he said.
Mr Morton added: "One of my objectives here is to build on the backing that we already have from Doncaster Council, Yorkshire Forward and Renaissance South Yorkshire.
"Everbody wants this airport to work," he added.
Flight routes have been slashed over the last year but Mr Morton said that these reductions were airline decisions, not the airport's.
Robin Hood is hoping to attract some big name airlines, in addition to Thomsonfly, Ryanair and Wizz Air which are currently based there, to cover soaring costs. Although Mr Morton admitted it is proving difficult to attract airlines to Finningley because of the competitive market, he believes that Doncaster is well equipped to match its rivals.
He said: "The established airports are tried and tested but we as a facility can offer everything they can - and more.
"First and foremost our aim is to ensure we provide a safe, efficient, hassle-free option for the passengers - making people want to come back here time and time again.
"A lot of big airports have lost that focus."
An operational review currently under way at Robin Hood led to the loss of nine customer service jobs last month and more redundancies have not been ruled dout.
On a positive note, the airport has been reinstated as a priority in the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Spatial Strategy, which council chiefs believe will lead to the possibility of thousands more jobs..
Robin Hood Airport, which has seen passenger numbers increase by 12.6 per cent over the last year, is expected to publish its masterplan setting out business proposals for up to 2030 next month.
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Weather for Doncaster
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
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