MP Nick Fletcher hopes to meet Doncaster Sheffield Airport boss John Whitaker as petition passes 100,000

There are now 103,000 names on the electronic petition, and the message will take to the skies with an aeroplane towing a banner in support of the campaign this weekend.

Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher is trying to arrange a meeting with John Whitaker, the chairman of Peel, which owns the site.

Mr Fletcher said: “Still no news this Saturday from John Whittaker. My office have emailed and rung his office to get this meeting with me in his diary. No date fixed yet. On Monday they will try again. It is so important to get this meeting.

“I have made it clear I will meet him anywhere and at any time. He had said he was out of the country until early September so hopefully he is back shortly if not back already.

“We will have a new Prime Minister on Monday. That may well mean new ministers being appointed. Robert Courts MP is the aviation minister and he has been very helpful in his support for Doncaster Sheffield Airport and with South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Oliver Coppard. I do hope he is not replaced. Whatever the situation, I will immediately be in touch with the aviation minister whoever that may be.

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“I also need to liaise with the speaker’s office to hopefully secure an adjournment debate. I have already asked for it but need to chase it up.

“We keep being sent lots of pages of signed petition forms. I can’t tell you how much that counts. It’s so important and we must keep it going. Keep them coming. Email them to me at [email protected].

“Keep sharing the petition online and on paper. Thank you.”

Yorkshire Plane Spotting, which set up the petition, has a banner flight provisionally arranged for Sunday (September 11), where an aircraft will tow the message ‘Save the Airport’ around South Yorkshire.

It is due over the airport at 12 noon; Doncaster 12.15pm; Rotherham 12.30pm; Sheffield 12:40pm; and Retford at 12:55pm.

A Save Doncaster Sheffield Airport group now has over 12,000 members, said organiser Mark Chadwick.

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