Doncaster Sheffield Airport Could Permanently Close

[AndrewC]

1 hour ago, Ghozer said:

I honestly can't think of a single person I know who has ever flown from there, that's 1/2 the issue...

I know plenty, and to be honest, for a relatively new regional airport, it's pre-covid growth and overall figures weren't bad.

 

It has a more limited choice of destinations than Manchester, of course, but when it does cater for particular routes, it deals with customers very well.

 

Friend of mine is Polish, goes back to Poland 1-2 times a year pre-covid, and he's not the kind of person who needs shops etc. while he waits for his flight. DSA has been perfect for him. Drives early in the morning from Hunters Bar to DSA in a little over 35 mins, can park close enough to the terminal that he could throw his bag from the car to the check-in desk, and he's through security et al in no time at all.

[briret]

I have flown once fron Doncaster (pre covid) parked right outside the terminal . Great!

Second best East midlands.

Manchester and Heathrow Pile of s--t.

[Foot and Mouth]

In my opinion it never really has had the proper support to flourish and progress. It always seemed to pick up 'small budget type' airlines, apart from when Thomas Cook was still an operator. Always seemed to be second rate. All the things mentioned previously; runway, access, quick and easy to use, modern, are in its favour. I think Leeds/Bradford, Manchester & East Midlands have all got together to see that it never 'took off', no pun intended.

 

Edited July 13, 2022 by Foot and Mouth

[Jeffrey Shaw]

3 hours ago, Anna B said:

I believe Doncaster/Sheffield airport has the longest runway in Europe

 

Yes. The erstwhile Finningley airbase was where Air Traffic Control brought-in to land any aircraft heading for any UK airport but with landing gear problems.

[peteh1]

7 hours ago, Ghozer said:

I honestly can't think of a single person I know who has ever flown from there, that's 1/2 the issue...

I have considered DSA on my last few holidays, only to find the cost is always £100's more than EMA or MAN for same holiday, dont know why that should be but maybe explains limited take up ?

[hauxwell]

I’m sad to hear Doncaster Airport might be closing.  I thought it was a nice Airport.

 

I was talking to a nice customer service lady on the phone in Sheffield a few months ago.  I told her I moved from Sheffield to Newcastle a couple of years ago. The customer service lady said they flew from Newcastle Airport for the first time to Spain because it was much cheaper than flying from Manchester, she saved over a hundred pound. She also said it was easy to get to and was pleasantly surprised how nice the Airport is.  
 

Manchester is nearer to Sheffield but driving from Sheffield to Newcastle on the M1 then A1 is pretty straight forward. Which I do at least once a month.  

 

It might be worth considering checking out the price if you are on a budget.

[HeHasRisen]

8 minutes ago, hauxwell said:

I’m sad to hear Doncaster Airport might be closing.  I thought it was a nice Airport.

 

I was talking to a nice customer service lady on the phone in Sheffield a few months ago.  I told her I moved from Sheffield to Newcastle a couple of years ago. The customer service lady said they flew from Newcastle Airport for the first time to Spain because it was much cheaper than flying from Manchester, she saved over a hundred pound. She also said it was easy to get to and was pleasantly surprised how nice the Airport is.  
 

Manchester is nearer to Sheffield but driving from Sheffield to Newcastle on the M1 then A1 is pretty straight forward. Which I do at least once a month.  

 

It might be worth considering checking out the price if you are on a budget.

Yes I have done this once. Its still a 2 hour drive and it didnt seem like a great idea when I landed at 1.30am local time to then have to get back to Sheffield. 

 

Birmingham is also a decent option. Often use the car park at Hams Hall, which I think is run by APH and is this side of Birmingham just off the M42, and they bus you in from there.

Edited July 13, 2022 by HeHasRisen

[Chekhov]

30 minutes ago, HeHasRisen said:

Yes I have done this once. Its still a 2 hour drive and it didnt seem like a great idea when I landed at 1.30am local time to then have to get back to Sheffield. 

 

Birmingham is also a decent option. Often use the car park at Hams Hall, which I think is run by APH and is this side of Birmingham just off the M42, and they bus you in from there.

Not sure about Birmingham for two reasons :

 

1 - You actually have to drive past EM to get to it. How frustrating would it be to see planes landing actually over you as you're on the M1 and knowing you still have quite a drive (including the M42...) to get to Birmingham airport !

 

2 - You have to drive on the A42/M42. The M42 between the M6 and the M40 is horrible with complicated open/shut inside lanes and particularly at peak hours it  is often like a car park. North of the M6 toll (which is easy to accidentally drive onto if you're tired as you have to turn off the M42 to stay on it, straight on is the M6 Toll....) the M42/A42 is only dual carriageway which can be a bit stressful if busy as the inside lane often has HGVs every few hundred yards so you are either constantly changing lanes or if you stay in the outside lane you often get some tosser up your read end flashing you.... Having said all that is is still preferable to Mottram Moor !

[Guest sibon]

10 hours ago, Chekhov said:

Leeds Bradford is an absolute ball ache to get to.....

 

In fact Manchester is  a bit too, involving that nightmare "get in the right lane and have loads of cars pushing in at the top" going up Mottram Moor. The same thing happens at that roundabout at the end of the M67 on the way back, when it's busy people just get in the empty right hand lane then go all the way round the roundabout to cut in at the front. Absolute nightmare, worst junctions in the country. Though they are, finally, supposed to be putting in a bypass, just in time for the Manchster congestion charge !!

 

 

DSA is easiest for sure. But if you turn your sat nav off,  Manchester is easy if you follow these steps.
 

Buy an Audi, it will save you quite a bit of time.
 

From Oughtibridge, head through Wisewood, down the Rivelin Valley and drive to Ladybower. Turn left at the lights and drive through Bamford. 
 

Turn right  at the next lights, head through the Hope Valley, up Winnats Pass and to the A6. Head for Stockport.
 

Then head to Manchester Airport using the newish A555  at Stockport 

 

Easy peasy.

[crookesey]

My mate and his wife fly from Doncaster on a very regular basis. They stay in very good hotels on half board terms paying circa £700 pp for ten day stays. I reckon that the flights subsidise the price of their trips by a long way, airports need a good balance of business including none holiday flights.