A Doncaster Sheffield Airport employee from Nottinghamshire who aspired to work there as a child has been 'devastated' by its impending closure. Josh Brown, 31, started working at airport as a security guard 12 years ago, before being promoted to airfield operations officer five years into the job.
As reported by the Mirror, Mr Brown has always had a passion for airports and had hoped for a job at Doncaster Sheffield when plans for it were first put forward when he was a child. With flight schedules to the airport to be wound down from next month, and Liz Truss's promise to keep it open seemingly not materialising, his and 800 other people's jobs are now at risk.
A further 1,900 jobs linked to the airport are also in jeopardy. "I love the airport, I love working in this industry and in this airport specifically," Mr Brown said.
Read more: Doncaster Sheffield Airport set to close as flights due to 'wind down' from next month
"I live 20 minutes down the road in Retford and I remember as a kid when the idea of them wanting to open the Doncaster Airport was tabled. From that point I knew I wanted to work there. I love the whole holiday experience. I loved travelling through the airport as a kid.
"I was interested in what the airlines were and different airports around the world. None are ever the same. They all have their own distinctive feel and Doncaster was something new. I remember the potential we all thought it had and still think it has."
Mr Brown said that many of the more than six million people who live within a 60 minute drive of the airport love the ease of travelling through it. "People say you land, get bags, and you're home within an hour of touching down," He said.
"People are devastated. Now they've made the decision, I think it's final. I don't think anything can be done quickly enough. I don't know what I'll do. We'll see what the future holds."
Managers at the regional terminal, serving 1.4 million passengers a year across 54 destinations, had been in talks with government officials about a rescue plan. Yesterday a spokesperson for the Peel Group said these hadn't delivered "any tangible results", and following a strategic review, the business was declared "unviable".
A date for when the airport will shut for good has not yet been released. The decision to close comes despite Truss's vow to protect it at her first PMQs earlier this month.
The Tory leader said she had asked the new transport secretary, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, “to make sure we do protect this airport and we protect that vital infrastructure and connectivity that helps our economy grow”. Yesterday a Department for Transport spokesperson said the decision to close was "incredibly disappointing" and encouraged "local leaders and Peel Group to work together and find a solution".
They made no mention of government intervention. The GMB Union, which represents staff at Doncaster Sheffield, slammed the decision to close, saying it is "absolutely vital to the South Yorkshire economy".
The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Doncaster Council have offered to cover the airports operating losses for up the 13 months while a buyer is found. The Peel Group has turned the offer down, saying it cannot "responsibly accept public money".
Sarah Barnes, GMB Senior Organiser, said: “Doncaster Sheffield Airport is absolutely vital to the South Yorkshire economy, providing hundreds of direct and supply chain jobs as well as an international transport hub.
“It’s hard to think of a better use of public money than keeping it open until a buyer can be found. Peel Group’s decision to close, despite the offer of help, is a narrow minded failure by fat cat bosses to see the big picture.
“The airport's closure will be a devastating blow to workers, their families and the wider community.”
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