'72 hours' left to save Doncaster Sheffield Airport, says Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher
A South Yorkshire MP has said there are only 72 hours left to save Doncaster Sheffield Airport after a fruitless meeting with the owners.
Nick Fletcher, the Conservative MP for Don Valley, and the South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard, met representatives of Peel Group on Tuesday evening – less than a month before the last scheduled flights are due to leave.
The company said last month that it could not continue operating the airport as the business was no longer viable.
Following Tuesday's meeting Mr Fletcher said Peel Group again rejected an offer of public money to keep the airport running until October next year.
"Peel are not budging," he wrote in a Facebook post. "No to the 13 month offer. No to anything else unless a credible buyer is put before them in the next few days.
"So it seems we only have 72 hours. Maybe we have more time. I don’t know. Every day that passes the less chance we have".
Wizz Air and Tui, the two airlines which use the airport, have said their flights will end by 4 November.
Mr Fletcher did not clarify the significance of the 72-hour deadline.
Mr Coppard admitted there are now very few options left to save Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
He said unless Peel Group was forced to cooperate, his office was "reaching the limit" of what could be done before operations cease in November.
Posting on Facebook, Mr Coppard said both he and Nick Fletcher MP pressed owners on their intentions and said their offer to keep the airport open was still on the table.
"They have refused to accept our offer of up to £7 million to keep the airport open for 13 months. We are asking for those 13 months so we can maintain operations, save jobs, keep the airport operational and find the best possible buyer to take DSA forward."
"Now, their position appears to be that they have little choice but to carry on with the closure of DSA, because they have yet to hear from interested parties within the condensed time-frame they have set."
He said he would continue working with his team over the coming days to maintain pressure on the owners.
Mr Fletcher said he would press for a public inquiry if the airport cannot be saved.
He said: "But I don’t want to give false hope. It’s desperate now. I’ve liaised with the Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg. I’m told he’s speaking to Peel tomorrow.
"If we lose our airport I will be pressing for a public inquiry. I will hold those persons to account."
On October 3, Liz Truss told ITV Calendar she would engage with all parties in an effort to save DSA.
She said "I'm very disappointed to hear what's been announced about the airport. And what I want to do is make sure we engage with all parties to see how we can find a way forward. Regional airports are incredibly important.
The PM went on to say that she will make sure that her team is in touch with both the council at Doncaster and the South Yorkshire Mayor "to deal with this issue and make sure we're doing all we can to support local growth in the local economy."
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