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DEN Airport Info
Website: http://www.flydenver.com/
Denver International Airport (IATA: DEN), often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. At 54 square miles (140 km2) it is the largest airport in the United States by total area. Runway 16R/34L is the longest public use runway in the United States. In 2013 Denver International Airport was the 15th-busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic with 52,556,359 passengers.
It was the fifth-busiest airport in the world by aircraft movements with over 635,000 movements in 2010. The Denver International Airport has non-stop service to destinations throughout North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. The airport is in northeastern Denver and is operated by the City & County of Denver Department of Aviation. DIA was voted Best Airport in North America by readers of Business Traveler Magazine six years in a row (2005–2010) and was named “America’s Best Run Airport” by Time Magazine in 2002.
DIA is the main hub for low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines and commuter carrier Great Lakes Airlines. It is also the fourth-largest hub for United Airlines. The airport is a focus city for Southwest Airlines. Since commencing service to Denver in January 2006, Southwest has added over 50 destinations, making Denver its fastest-growing market. DIA is the only airport in the United States to have implemented an ISO 14001-certified environmental management system covering the entire airport.
Automated baggage system
The airport’s computerized baggage system, which was supposed to reduce delays, shorten waiting times at luggage carousels, and cut airline labor costs, was an unmitigated failure. The airport opening was originally scheduled for October 31, 1993, with a single system for all three concourses. Issues with the baggage system delayed the opening to February 28, 1995, with separate systems for each concourse and varying degrees of automation.
The system’s $186 million original construction costs grew by $1 million per day during months of modifications and repairs. Incoming flights on the airport’s B Concourse made very limited use of the system, and only United, DIA’s dominant airline, used it for outgoing flights. The 40-year-old company responsible for the design of the automated system, BAE Automated Systems of Carrollton, Texas, at one time responsible for 90% of the baggage systems in the United States, was acquired in 2002 by G&T Conveyor Company, Inc.
The automated baggage system never worked as designed, and in August 2005 it became public knowledge that United would abandon the system, a decision that would save them $1 million per month in maintenance costs.
Telecommunications
DIA has Wi-Fi access throughout the airport. The free service is ad-supported through an advertising-filled HTML frame that is inserted into the top of the browser window. Users of the Wi-Fi network are also required to view a 30-second advertising video in the browser before Internet access is granted, although in many cases a click-through button is provided to avoid viewing the ad. The network is managed by FreeFi Networks, a Los Angeles-based firm.[25] T-Mobile HotSpot service is available in the airport lounges run by United Airlines and American Airlines.[26] The airport has pay-per-use kiosks which can be used to access the Internet and to play video games. The current stations were developed by Zoox Stations and were installed in 2007.