Though a nonstop flight from Denver to Asia is at the top of Denver International Airport’s wish list for international flights, its largest carrier, United Airlines, won’t be flying the route anytime soon, in part because it is limited in what planes it can use.
“There are some unique challenges associated with service to Asia,” said Kevin Knight, United’s senior vice president of planning. United could only use its largest plane, the 747-400, on the route because of Denver’s altitude and hot summers and the length of the flight.
But the 747-400 for international service has 347 seats to fill, and “the economics, at this point, don’t work for us,” Knight said. He added that United will continue to look at it and “continue to look at ways that we can do it with our existing aircraft or other aircraft in the future. I think it’s more an issue of timing.”
Denver International Airport has been focusing its efforts on All Nippon Airways for a Japan flight and Air China for a China flight. ANA is a launch customer for the new Boeing 787, which would work for the route.
Knight also said United has not yet made a decision on starting a flight from Denver to London, which it has been considering since the United States reached an open-skies agreement with the European Union to loosen restrictions on flights starting next summer.
Staff writer Kelly Yamanouchi can be reached at 303-954-1488 or kyamanouchi@denverpost.com .
