United Brings DIA to its Knees

United Brings DIA to its Knees
by Steve Alexander

SEPTEMBER 2000

From 1997 to 1999, Denver International Airport had the fewest delays of any of the nation�s top 20 airports. In June 2000, the five-year-old airport descended to the bottom of the list of the nation�s major airports for on-time arrivals.

DIA ranked third from the bottom for departures, only being out performed in their under performance by O�Hare International in Chicago (United�s main hub) and Philadelphia International.

Of all flights arriving at DIA during this period, 54.2 percent arrived at DIA within 15 minutes of their scheduled time according to the DOT report; about 60 percent of flights departed DIA on time. Thirty-five flights on United�s Denver schedule were late at least 80 percent of the time, including two Chicago flights that were never on time. United landed just 48.4 percent of its flights on time during June, as reported by the DOT, down from 57 percent a month earlier. System wide on-time performance sank to 42 percent in July and below 40 percent in August.

Some blame can be laid on weather, and some can be put to standard airlines cancellations and delays. But most believe that the blame lies with United, which flies about 70 percent of DIA�s departures and arrivals. The problem lies with labor, weather, air traffic control problems, and the record passenger traffic that DIA is experiencing.

United has been busy negotiating new contracts with its pilots and ground workers for months, and has had its worst operational period ever this summer, with the possible exception of the 1985 pilots� strike. Hundreds of daily cancellations and almost as many delays can be contributed to pilots and mechanics refusing to put in (voluntary) overtime.

United pilots have reached a tenuous contract agreement, but the ground workers are still negotiating.

Mayor Wellington Web has stated that due to the United problem, DIA has taken a �blow,� but this won�t distract its general operation. Because of DIA�s modern Doppler radar technology, runway configuration, and concourse design, it is among the most user-friendly in America. It has less runway abatement difficulties than any other facility of its size in the world.

United is concerned because they hear the news reports of passengers saying they�ll never fly through Denver again. They might not be flying on United, but other airlines, such as Frontier Airlines, are profiting from United�s recent problems. The turmoil at United is also music to the collective ears of Centennial, Jefferson County and Front Range airports, as well as other general aviation airports in the area.

A steady trickle of additional business to fixed based operators in the metro area has been noticed and is of course welcome, no matter how tentative this may be.

All concerned are certain that they will be able to bring negotiations to an amicable conclusion within United shortly, and once again reach their perch as top bird in the passenger carrying community.

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