Lines stretched throughout Denver International Airport’s terminal Thursday during one of the year’s busiest travel days.
Airport officials estimated 155,994 travelers would use the airport Thursday and another 155,145 today. Traffic is expected to ease Saturday and Sunday, then increase to 153,028 travelers Monday.
During the day, United Airlines passengers, including Nick Newell of Denver, waited as long as 30 minutes to check in.
“I’ve never seen a line like this, except for at Disneyland,” Newell said. “We’re not panicking, but I’m sure some people are.”
The effort to move travelers quickly through long lines came less than a week after United passengers at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago were backed up for hours. Chief executive Glenn Tilton later told employees that the airline disappointed its customers by not being prepared.
Spokesman Jeff Green said Thursday’s line moved quickly at DIA because United was fully staffed. Many flights were 90 percent to 100 percent full.
“We’re smack-dab in the middle of the holiday rush,” Green said, “but things are running very smoothly.”
The wait at Frontier Airlines averaged 10 minutes or less for domestic travel and 15 to 25 minutes for international travel, said spokesman Joe Hodas, but some passengers arrived at their destinations before their luggage because of loading delays.
Security screening waits were 15 to 20 minutes or less, according to officials, even though the Transportation Security Administration debuted new security screening procedures. Passengers found more random screenings but were allowed to carry more items onto planes, including small scissors and tools.
Pat Ahlstrom, TSA’s federal security director at DIA, recommended travelers get to the airport lobby two hours before their departure time for morning flights and at least 90 minutes before flights the rest of the day. TSA recommends leaving gifts unwrapped.
Staff writer Kelly Yamanouchi can be reached at 303-820-1488 or kyamanouchi@denverpost.com.
