New flights set to send Robin Hood Airport passenger numbers soaring

Steve Gill, managing director of Robin Hood Airport near Doncaster, said the boost — a 70 per cent increase in traffic — could see an extra 500,000 passengers pass through the airport.

Details of the new flights have yet to be revealed but budget airline Flybe said it planned to base two Embraer Jet aircraft at Robinn Hood from next March.

It follows £58 million investment in a new motorway link road, set to open early next year.

Mr Gill said: “This announcement is transformational for Sheffield City Region’s airport.

“We are truly delighted to be welcoming Flybe in this new long-term deal.

“Eight routes will be announced on Tuesday, November 10, serving a mixture of business and leisure destinations to mainland Europe and beyond.

“The additional seats and other forecasted growth are expected to take passenger figures from 900,000 in 2015/16 to over 1.35 million in 2016/17, an increase of around 50 per cent year on year.

Saad Hammad, chief executive of Flybe, said: “We are delighted to have reached this agreement to begin enhancing connectivity for the people of Yorkshire from Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

“We look forward to welcoming all our new passengers on board next year with great value fares and a convenient, fast, reliable service to some very popular destinations as well providing them with opportunities for onward connections.”

James Newman, chairman of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, said; “We are a City Region of 2.1 million people and Sheffield is the UK’s fourth largest city.

“Connectivity to major European centres for trade and investment play a crucial role in the economic prosperity of the region.

“Investments such as this one will help to strongly position the Sheffield City Region as a key player in the Northern Powerhouse and will enable us to start to rebalance the UK economy through significant growth in the North.”