The airport was boosted by further growth in cargo traffic, with tonnage at 16,473, up 44 per cent from 11,453.
Passenger number dipped to 1.16 million from 1.24 million following the closure of European bases of one of the airport’s airline operators. However, replacement routes were announced during the year and are now in operation.
Following the end of the financial year, TUI added long-haul routes to Florida and Cancun and a new route to Girona, Spain to its schedule. In October 2019, the airline announced a further expansion, taking the total number of destinations it offers from the airport to 31.
Chairman Robert Hough CBE said Doncaster Sheffield Airport had “much to celebrate as we close down the accounts for 2018/2019 and look towards 2020 and the dawn of a new decade”.
“Looking ahead to 2020, we anticipate a number of significant milestones for our 15th anniversary year,” he said. “Our established relationship with TUI is further strengthened with an additional 210,000 seats, new routes and extra frequency on existing destinations. TUI announced it will invest in a fourth summer aircraft based at DSA and increased its winter 2020 programme with routes to Cape Verde and Sharm el Sheik. Together with flights to Sanford, Florida and Cancun, Mexico, we are becoming the home of long-haul for passengers based in Yorkshire and the north of England.
“Cargo forms a key strategic part of our long-term masterplan and we enjoyed a record year of performance with a 42 per cent year-on-year capacity increase with a combination of increased scheduled freighter traffic, developing our existing relationships and a growing client base. We have ambitious plans for growth and continue to invest and build on this important area of our strategic business plan.
“We are looking forward to another record-breaking year ahead with an additional quarter of a million passenger seats now on sale providing an easy, friendly and relaxed service offering more choice for our customers.”
Doncaster Sheffield Airport is owned by investment company Peel, which also owns Durham Tees Valley and Liverpool John Lennon airports.