UFO speech used to 'spice up' airport safety talks

A councillor has said comments about monitoring UFOs above an airport due to reopen were to "lighten the mood" while making a "serious point" about safety.

Reform UK's Kieran Lay told a City of Doncaster Council meeting an overview and safety committee for unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), previously known as UFOs, should be established for Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA).

He later told the BBC he made the comments "to spice things up, but also bring a bit more attention" to safety issues around items like drones.

Simon Hinchley, executive director for DSA, said the operator was responsible for keeping people safe in the airport environment rather than the council.

Hinchley said drone detection equipment was used around aerodromes, and drones were already banned from coming within 5km (3 miles) of active airports without permission.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport closed in 2022 but the council is leading a project to reopen it to passenger and cargo flights.

"Breaches of these restrictions are taken seriously and can result in significant fines and custodial sentences," Hinchley added.

Lay told the full council meeting on Monday that a UAP committee could coordinate with authorities across Yorkshire on aerospace monitoring and "help restore some public confidence" in the airport, with video of his speech uploaded to social media.

"NASA has recommended that local authorities take a proactive evidence-based approach to UAP, focused on aviation safety," he added.

"Why would Doncaster not want to lead the way in Yorkshire and the Humber on this issue?"

He later told BBC Radio Sheffield his speech, which he described as a "sugar bomb", was not about UFOs in the extraterrestrial sense.

"The meeting was quite long and serious, so I wanted to bring a bit of personality and lighten the mood slightly, but there was also a serious point behind it," Lay said.

He said many residents in his ward, Thorne and Moorends, had "genuine security concerns" about the airport.

"The last thing I want is something that interferes with the aircraft coming in for landing or taking off [and] something devastating happening over the top of residential houses," he added.

He apologised for suggesting that all the data on local UAP activity needed to be examined before committing further money to the airport.

"I think my choice of words are kind of really bad sometimes.. I have some learning difficulties, but I try my best," he said.

Hinchley said there were "well established procedures" for pilots and operators to report concerns to air traffic control.

"Safety remains our number one priority, and as we move towards full operational readiness, we will continue to review regulatory developments and apply best practice guidance at all times," he added.

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