DEN Remains World's 10th- and Nations' 5th- Busiest Airport

Denver International Airport (DEN), the over-budget airport that nobody needed, has experienced a remarkable bounce -- at least on a single-month basis: Comparing December 2001 to December 2002, the percentage increase for both seat capacity and daily flights at DEN were greater than for any other top-10 U.S. airport.

In addition, preliminary passenger traffic data for all of 2002 from Airports Council International (ACI) ranks DEN the 10th-busiest airport in the world and the 5th-busiest in North America -- the same rankings DEN held in 2001.

"Even during turbulent times, Denver International Airport is clearly an asset to the airlines," Denver Manager of Aviation Bruce Baumgartner said. "Our operational efficiencies, our on-time record, our high O&D traffic all produce the right ingredients for airlines to have successful business operations."

This is particularly remarkable given the fact that Denver's anchor airline, United, entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early December.

Denver continues to be a strong origination and destination (O&D) market. More than 55 percent of the passenger traffic at DEN is O&D. In comparing December 2001 to December 2002, United Airlines, the largest carrier at DEN, increased daily flights from Denver by 28.9 percent and daily seats by 17.1 percent. These increases were higher than at any of United's other five major hub airports, including Chicago.

New airlines move into copious space

During the worst time in aviation history, DEN attracted four new carriers in 2002, including Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, Spirit Airlines and Mesa Airlines operating as Frontier JetExpress. Additionally, the carriers at DEN began service to 15 new destinations including five new international destinations -- Mexico City, Mexico; Cancun, Mexico; Mazatlan, Mexico; Edmonton, Canada, and Winnipeg, Canada.

AirTran Airways, the nation's second largest low-cost carrier, will begin service from DEN in May, 2003. Alaska Airlines will increase scheduled flights from DEN to Portland and Seattle. And Frontier Airlines, the Denver-based airline and second largest carrier serving DEN, continues to upgrade and expand its fleet.

FMI: www.flydenver.com