BBC News - Roland Sebestyen
The transport secretary blocked a request to reallocate £30m of funding to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA), emails suggest.
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard had asked Mark Harper to use funding from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements.
However, the Department for Transport (DfT) said the mayor's letter was not classed as a "formal request".
Mr Coppard said he feared the £30m would now go unspent.
DSA closed in 2022 after owner Peel Group said it was financially unviable.
Since its closure, City of Doncaster Council has been working on a plan to reopen the site to commercial air traffic and it is hoped a new airport operator can be appointed in March.
