Even though today is a holiday for most, some workers will be forgoing the July 4th holiday to provide essential public services, ensure smooth landings at Denver International Airport or serve the public at shops and restaurants.
The airport will host nearly 300,000 people today and tomorrow, after greeting a record number of passengers on Friday.
“For the most part, we handle large volumes fairly well,” said DIA spokesman Steve Snyder. “It’s not as crowded as some of the older airports, where you can really tell when it’s a busy holiday season.
“We obviously have a certain amount of essential positions (at DIA) that have to be manned 24/7.”
The airport is braced for some 136,201 travelers today, and about 156,535 tomorrow as the long Fourth of July holiday comes to a close. After breaking passenger travel records all year, DIA set another record Friday, when an estimated 168,766 people arrived at and departed from Denver. It was the airport’s busiest day ever, a record that should hold until the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
Local restaurant owners that stay open are preparing for modest business.
“It will be like any other summer holiday, a lot of barbecuing going on in backyards,” said Pete Meersman, president of the Colorado Restaurant Association, which represents more than 4,500 restaurants. “It will generally be a slow day” for bars and restaurants.
Anthony’s Pizza, at 1550 California St. in downtown Denver, was open Monday and planned to close today. A quickly scrawled sign on the door – written in green ink on a brown paper bag – reflected the unpredictable nature of the long holiday weekend: “If busy?? open til 2:00! If we are slow, earlier!”
At Marlowe’s on the 16th Street Mall, hostess Melanie Madding said the restaurant would keep regular business hours today, from 11 a.m. to midnight.
“We may be slow and end up sending people home” and close early, Madding added.
If things go smoothly, Joe Aguiar’s workday will be quiet today.
As a Qwest service assurance technician in Littleton, Aguiar monitors phone network switches that keep phone lines up and running. “We have things break,” he said, “but the switches we operate on … are very reliable switches.”
Aguiar volunteers to work every holiday so he can collect the overtime pay, and figures he still can have a cookout in the evening.
“I won’t go to any of the fireworks (displays),” he said, “but maybe from my home, I’ll see them. I try to stay away from crowds.”
Staff writers Kelly Yamanouchi, Beth Potter and Stephen Keating contributed to this report.
136,201
Passengers expected through DIA today
156,535
Passengers expected through DIA on Wednesday
