Over £100m of public money will be used to reopen airport due to council failings

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Plans to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport now rely on over £100 million of public money after the council failed to secure a private operator. City of Doncaster Council has confirmed that an unnamed international airport operator is “waiting in the wings” to partner with a new council-owned company, FlyDoncaster, and run the airport. In November 2024, the City of Doncaster Council requested a report concerning a proposed subsidy to FlyDoncaster Limited after the South Yorkshire Mayoral Authority gave the council £3 million to support the airport's opening. “FlyDoncaster is a wholly owned company of this council, which has been established to manage the airport and partner with our international airport operator.” She added: “This is set to be the largest single investment in Doncaster for more than a generation, hence the considerable level of due diligence and our rigorous and logical approach to accomplish this monumental challenge of saving and re-opening our airport.