Last month Peel Group the owners of Doncaster Sheffield Airport announced that they were reviewing the commercial viability of the airport, putting hundreds of jobs, the future of the airport and established businesses situated on the airport site at risk.

As well as meeting with Peel Group to discuss the review in more detail and writing to the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, Louise Haigh MP Shadow Secretary of State for Transport has today met with one of the businesses that will directly be affected if the airport site closes – 2Excel Aviation.

2Excel Aviation are a specialist aerospace firm, who employ almost 200 high skilled people. They currently provide services to: Oil Spill Response, UK Search and Rescue, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and specialist military training for the Ministry of Defence. They have a charter division for sports teams and music artists and provided essential support to the Government during the pandemic.

They have been based at DSA for the past 10 years and in 2018 their business became 51% employee owned. The closure of DSA would mean that 2Excel Aviation would have to be relocated elsewhere in the UK, taking their 200 employees with them and removing money from South Yorkshire’s economy.

Louise Haigh MP Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, said:

“I’ve seen for myself the highly skilled and fantastic job 2Excel Aviation do, not just across South Yorkshire but across the UK. They decided to relocate to DSA 10 years ago because they saw the potential in DSA, that it was a strategic asset for the region with good rail and transport links.

“2Excel Aviation are prepared to work with Peel Group and others to find a commercial solution that allows the airport to remain open for passengers. What we need now is for Peel Group to defer their decision until all solutions have been explored fully.

“It would be a huge blow to the region’s economy and our residents if South Yorkshire lost this strategic asset. I will do all I can to ensure that this doesn’t happen.”