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Rocky Mountain News
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URL: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/airlines/article/0,2777,DRMN_23912_4721930,00.html
Dennis Schroeder © News
Passengers wait for a United Airlines flight this year on DIA's Concourse B, where United now will consolidate all of its flights. United will give up six gates on Concourse A, freeing them for use by Denver-based Frontier.
High-fives at DIA
Deal on use of gates opens path to growth for Frontier, United
By Chris Walsh, Rocky Mountain News
May 24, 2006
Denver International Airport announced an agreement Tuesday that clears the way for its two largest carriers to grow here for the foreseeable future.
The deal essentially involves consolidating all of United Airlines' flights to the B concourse, thereby allowing Frontier Airlines to lease six more gates on the A concourse. DIA also will expand United's regional jet facility and retire some of the carrier's debt.
The agreement is good news for consumers because it could help keep a lid on fares and spur the addition of new flights and destinations.
It also puts to rest concerns that gate issues could stifle growth and helps solidify the presence of United, DIA's dominant carrier, and Frontier, its second-largest airline.
Combined, the two airlines account for more than 77 percent of DIA's passenger traffic.
"This is the same strategy we've been operating on for three years, which is trying to keep a robust, competitive environment at DIA," said John Huggins, economic development director of Denver. "It's especially good for leisure and business travelers."
Under the agreement, United will give up its six gates on Concourse A, where it currently operates flights of its discount arm, Ted. United will move those flights to five gates on the B concourse, where the airline is installing bridges that allow passengers to load and unload from the back and front doors of an airplane. The bridges help United speed up the process and allow the carrier to handle more flights daily.
United, which operates most of its flights on the B concourse, will give up one Concourse A gate in July, another in November and its remaining four by next spring.
In exchange for relinquishing the gates, DIA will pay for a $41.5 million upgrade and expansion of United's regional jet facility on the east end of Concourse B. It's a scaled down version of the expansion DIA and United planned - and then shelved - in 2003.
The airport also will pay off $110 million in debt related to United's automated baggage system, lowering the carrier's operating costs at the airport. The money used to retire the debt will come from the airport's revenue stream.
Last year, DIA agreed to retire $184 million in debt tied to the baggage system, which never worked properly and eventually was shut down. In return, United agreed to route more passengers through Denver.
Aside from the financial benefits for United, the move will pay dividends for the company's customers, who currently have to switch concourses if they are making a connection from a Ted flight to a main or regional United flight, or vice versa.
"All of our operations and equipment will be in the same terminal now," said United spokesman Brandon Borrman. "That's a big advantage for our customers."
United also estimated that it will add about 125 daily flights systemwide after the change.
Frontier, too, will grow, as it will lease the six gates on Concourse A, where all of its flights at DIA are based.
The Denver-based carrier said it can increase efficiency on its existing flights and will have enough space to comfortably add service for years to come. Frontier, which plans to bring on 14 new planes during the next five years, had run out of space on the A concourse and previously indicated it could grow elsewhere if it couldn't get more gates at DIA.
"This agreement is a mile high sigh of relief," said Frontier spokesman Andrew Hudson. "It guarantees Denver as Frontier's hub for the long term. It provides for our growth both in terms of destinations and frequencies and also will lead to improved efficiency of our Denver operation."
The deal is cheaper for DIA than the likely alternative: an expansion of the A concourse. That project would have cost about $116 million, airport officials say. Expanding the concourse also would have taken longer.
"This is great for everybody involved," said Cheryl Cohen-Vader, chief deputy director of the airport. "United gets the regional jet facility. Frontier gets the gates they need and wanted really badly - and in a shorter amount of time than the alternative. And a lot more planes will be flying in and out of the airport."
Details of the agreement
United will vacate its six gates on Concourse A, where it operates flights of its discount arm, Ted. Those operations will be consolidated to five Concourse B gates, where United is installing bridges that allow passengers to load and unload from the back and front doors of an airplane.
Frontier, during the next year, will take over the six gates on Concourse A, where all of its flights at DIA are based.
DIA will spend $41.5 million to upgrade and expand United's regional jet facility on the east end of Concourse B. The new facility will have 12 more gates for regional jets and six fewer for turboprop operations, where passengers walk onto the tarmac to board planes.
The airport also will pay off, in annual increments, $110 million in debt related to United's failed automated baggage system. The move will lower United's costs by about $10 million a year.
[email protected] or 303-892-2744
Copyright 2006, Rocky Mountain News. All Rights Reserved.
And,FWIW, this is from another industry watcher on the yahoo message board:
" Continental didn't move because of United. The airport was 100 days late in opening and Continental didn't want to pay for a facility they weren't using. That's why United floated bonds for $100 Million for the $1 Mil. per day
delay in DIA's opening. That's also why the Airport is letting United off the hook for the automated bagage system. The Contracting of the baggage system was Pena's idea even after United told them they had am operating design for an automated system working at O'Hare tat still is working even right today. The new agreement is good because now it gives BOTH airlines the wings they need to make DIA some REAL Money what with $4-6.00 per head in PFC's don't you think?? "
To print this page, select File then Print from your browser
URL: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/airlines/article/0,2777,DRMN_23912_4721930,00.html
Dennis Schroeder © News
Passengers wait for a United Airlines flight this year on DIA's Concourse B, where United now will consolidate all of its flights. United will give up six gates on Concourse A, freeing them for use by Denver-based Frontier.
High-fives at DIA
Deal on use of gates opens path to growth for Frontier, United
By Chris Walsh, Rocky Mountain News
May 24, 2006
Denver International Airport announced an agreement Tuesday that clears the way for its two largest carriers to grow here for the foreseeable future.
The deal essentially involves consolidating all of United Airlines' flights to the B concourse, thereby allowing Frontier Airlines to lease six more gates on the A concourse. DIA also will expand United's regional jet facility and retire some of the carrier's debt.
The agreement is good news for consumers because it could help keep a lid on fares and spur the addition of new flights and destinations.
It also puts to rest concerns that gate issues could stifle growth and helps solidify the presence of United, DIA's dominant carrier, and Frontier, its second-largest airline.
Combined, the two airlines account for more than 77 percent of DIA's passenger traffic.
"This is the same strategy we've been operating on for three years, which is trying to keep a robust, competitive environment at DIA," said John Huggins, economic development director of Denver. "It's especially good for leisure and business travelers."
Under the agreement, United will give up its six gates on Concourse A, where it currently operates flights of its discount arm, Ted. United will move those flights to five gates on the B concourse, where the airline is installing bridges that allow passengers to load and unload from the back and front doors of an airplane. The bridges help United speed up the process and allow the carrier to handle more flights daily.
United, which operates most of its flights on the B concourse, will give up one Concourse A gate in July, another in November and its remaining four by next spring.
In exchange for relinquishing the gates, DIA will pay for a $41.5 million upgrade and expansion of United's regional jet facility on the east end of Concourse B. It's a scaled down version of the expansion DIA and United planned - and then shelved - in 2003.
The airport also will pay off $110 million in debt related to United's automated baggage system, lowering the carrier's operating costs at the airport. The money used to retire the debt will come from the airport's revenue stream.
Last year, DIA agreed to retire $184 million in debt tied to the baggage system, which never worked properly and eventually was shut down. In return, United agreed to route more passengers through Denver.
Aside from the financial benefits for United, the move will pay dividends for the company's customers, who currently have to switch concourses if they are making a connection from a Ted flight to a main or regional United flight, or vice versa.
"All of our operations and equipment will be in the same terminal now," said United spokesman Brandon Borrman. "That's a big advantage for our customers."
United also estimated that it will add about 125 daily flights systemwide after the change.
Frontier, too, will grow, as it will lease the six gates on Concourse A, where all of its flights at DIA are based.
The Denver-based carrier said it can increase efficiency on its existing flights and will have enough space to comfortably add service for years to come. Frontier, which plans to bring on 14 new planes during the next five years, had run out of space on the A concourse and previously indicated it could grow elsewhere if it couldn't get more gates at DIA.
"This agreement is a mile high sigh of relief," said Frontier spokesman Andrew Hudson. "It guarantees Denver as Frontier's hub for the long term. It provides for our growth both in terms of destinations and frequencies and also will lead to improved efficiency of our Denver operation."
The deal is cheaper for DIA than the likely alternative: an expansion of the A concourse. That project would have cost about $116 million, airport officials say. Expanding the concourse also would have taken longer.
"This is great for everybody involved," said Cheryl Cohen-Vader, chief deputy director of the airport. "United gets the regional jet facility. Frontier gets the gates they need and wanted really badly - and in a shorter amount of time than the alternative. And a lot more planes will be flying in and out of the airport."
Details of the agreement
United will vacate its six gates on Concourse A, where it operates flights of its discount arm, Ted. Those operations will be consolidated to five Concourse B gates, where United is installing bridges that allow passengers to load and unload from the back and front doors of an airplane.
Frontier, during the next year, will take over the six gates on Concourse A, where all of its flights at DIA are based.
DIA will spend $41.5 million to upgrade and expand United's regional jet facility on the east end of Concourse B. The new facility will have 12 more gates for regional jets and six fewer for turboprop operations, where passengers walk onto the tarmac to board planes.
The airport also will pay off, in annual increments, $110 million in debt related to United's failed automated baggage system. The move will lower United's costs by about $10 million a year.
[email protected] or 303-892-2744
Copyright 2006, Rocky Mountain News. All Rights Reserved.
And,FWIW, this is from another industry watcher on the yahoo message board:
" Continental didn't move because of United. The airport was 100 days late in opening and Continental didn't want to pay for a facility they weren't using. That's why United floated bonds for $100 Million for the $1 Mil. per day
delay in DIA's opening. That's also why the Airport is letting United off the hook for the automated bagage system. The Contracting of the baggage system was Pena's idea even after United told them they had am operating design for an automated system working at O'Hare tat still is working even right today. The new agreement is good because now it gives BOTH airlines the wings they need to make DIA some REAL Money what with $4-6.00 per head in PFC's don't you think?? "
