Denver International Airport is considering whether to expand with a new commuter facility on Concourse C.
“We’ve had phenomenal growth,” DIA manager Turner West said. “We’re coming close to 50 million passengers. We’ll probably exceed it this year, and we’re running out of gate space.”
Concourses A and B already have commuter facilities, and Frontier and DIA have discussed building a commuter facility on Concourse A.
Discussions on a Concourse C commuter facility are still preliminary. Concourse C is the one farthest from the terminal. A commuter facility handles smaller planes, such as regional jets or turboprops, for regional carriers such as SkyWest.
“We’re looking to expand (regional-jet) operations,” West said. “The C concourse is the logical place to put it because of the space we have over there.”
Space has not been assigned or committed to by any airlines, “but we have faith in the future,” he said.
DIA’s consideration of a commuter facility on Concourse C comes as the airport and public officials on Monday celebrated the completion of a regional-jet facility for United Airlines on the east end of Concourse B. United is the largest carrier at DIA.
The new 16-gate United facility, which features two Starbucks locations, a New Belgium Hub restaurant and bar and a Heidi’s Brooklyn Deli among its concessionaires, opens for flights today.
Along with existing commuter gates on Concourse B, the new regional-jet facility will be used by United’s regional operation United Express, with about 8,000 customers a day.
Mayor John Hickenlooper and other officials speaking Monday emphasized the importance of DIA as a gateway to the area, particularly when the Democratic National Convention comes to Denver next year.
“The main thing we’re really concentrating on right now is C concourse,” West said.
Aside from any potential new commuter facilities, DIA plans to build 10 new mainline gates on Concourse C, which has seen substantial growth since Southwest Airlines started operating there more than a year ago.
DIA has been discussing a possible commuter facility for Denver-based Frontier Airlines on Concourse A, where that airline operates.
Frontier Airlines spokesman Joe Hodas said he couldn’t say whether Frontier would be interested in a commuter facility on Concourse C.
“Is it ideal? No. Is it possible? Yes,” he said.
He said discussions on a Concourse A regional facility and a new maintenance hangar are ongoing.
West said regional-jet and commuter markets to places such as Grand Junction “are out there.” He also said the Q400 turboprop planes Frontier Airlines’ new subsidiary Lynx plans to use for flights to Rocky Mountain region airports appear to be “very efficient aircraft.”
“There’s so many communities out there,” he said. “I think you’re going to see service come back.”
Frontier is taking over gates United is vacating on Concourse A as United’s new regional-jet facility opens. Along with the gates, Frontier is leasing more administrative and crew-lounge space.
Staff writer Kelly Yamanouchi can be reached at 303-954-1488 or kyamanouchi@denverpost.com.
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47.4 MILLION
Passenger traffic at DIA in 2006
43.4 MILLION
Passenger traffic at DIA in 2005
7.2 MILLION
DIA passengers in January and February 2007
6.9 MILLION
DIA passengers in January and February 2006
