The first large jet has arrived at Doncaster Airport (DSA) since its closure in 2022, marking a key milestone in a project to restart operations at the site in the North of England.
2Excel Aviation’s Boeing 727 jet landed at the airport at approximately 11:00 on 28 April 2026, taking time for a short visit to the facility that, currently, employs around 200 people.
The jet is part of the Oil Spill Response team contracted to 2Excel, and is on alert 24/7, 365 days a year to respond to oil spill incidents anywhere in the world at short notice. It has ben using the site for its smaller aircraft since December 2025, with this visit marking the ability for bigger jets taking off and landing from the site.
Christian Foster, Director of Airport Operator FlyDoncaster Ltd, said:It’s quite a moment seeing a jet land at the airport for the first time in almost four years.
We’re fortunate to have one of the longest, strongest and widest commercial runways in the UK, so seeing 2Excel Aviation’s 727 land at Doncaster is a good preview to what we’ll experience in the coming years. In the past, this airport has handled movements from the largest aircraft in the world.
Seeing a plane land at the airport was a proud moment for the team, and testament to the hard work that has been undertaken to date.
Currently, the project to transform Doncaster Sheffield Airport is undergoing a process to recertify airspace around the airport, which, if successful, will bring additional resilience and safety benefits to the aerodrome.
