Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Kick Peel out and run it publicly, say readers in poll

More than half of those surveyed said they want the Finningley airport to come under public control – a move that has not been ruled out by local politicians and MPs after airport owners Peel announced it was undertaking a six week strategic review to consider its future.

The firm has said it could end flying at DSA due to financial pressures brought on by the Covid pandemic and the departure of budget airline Wizz Air.

But furious members of the public, your Free Press, politicians, unions and workers have all united against the plan – calling for the airport to stay open.

We asked readers what should happen to the airport in a poll carried out on Twitter.

More than half of those who voted (51.6%) said they wanted Doncaster Sheffield Airport to be run by a public body, similiar to Teesside International Airport in the north east, where a consortium of local councils and politicians led by Mayor Ben Houchen took over its running from Peel.

Nearly 40% (39.8%) called for another private firm to take over the running of the airport, while just 3.7% of those who voted think it should remain in Peel’s hands.

Five per cent felt the airport should remain as a cargo only airport.

In a separate poll, we asked readers what they thought should happen should the worst come to the worst and the airport closes as a commercial airport.

But once again, readers were overwhelmingly in favour of keeping flying at the airport, with 61.5% calling for it become a freight airport.

8.5% said they would like to see the site developed for homes and leisure, six per cent said they would prefer to see warehousing and business while 23% opted for ‘something else.’

Talks are continuing between Peel and a collective led by South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard which also includes Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones as well as Doncaster’s three MPs, Nick Fletcher (Don Valley), Ed Miliband (Doncaster North) and Dame Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central).