Originally Posted by BoulderFlyer
Spiff, you have got to be joking. As a 1K million miler with almost every one of those miles originating out of DEN (both Stapleton and DIA) I can count on one hand the number of delays (of even a few minutes) since DIA opened and I fly 48 weeks a year. On the other hand, when I flew out of Stapleton if there was *any* kind of weather at all (rain, snow, clouds, you name it), there were delays, sometimes hours long. Yeah, DIA is way out in the middle of nowhere, but with E-470 open I can drive it in the same amount of time that it used to take to get to Stapleton. And, even if it did take longer to drive, I know that I won't be camping on the concourse waiting for my plane.
DIA is a damned efficient airport, both for the airlines and for passengers. The airport designers thought of a lot of the little things...like separating commercial vehicle traffic from passenger vehicles. Nice wide concourses. Sufficient distance between concourses so that aircraft don't get in each other's way. With the exception of the TSA shoe carnival, I love DIA.
I do like DIA with the exception of the piece of human garbage named Patrick Ahlmstrom who is the FSD there for the TSA.
However, I and my companies have had to pay thousands of dollars more over the years to use DIA over Stapleton's rates. As a student, I saw my fares rise by at least $100 as soon as DIA opened its doors.
While DIA may be more efficient than Stapleton was, the question remains: was it really necessary? And was the process that brought it into being even close to being on the up-and-up?