Frontier Airlines, in partnership with Denver International Airport (DEN), announced on April 6, 2022, that it is seeking approval from Denver City Council for a new ground boarding gate facility at DEN. The 10-year agreement covers the build-out of a 120,000-square-foot facility (37,0000 square foot new and 83,000 square foot remodel) on the east end of Concourse A that will include 14 gates, 18,000 square feet of support space and an adjacent 8,000-square-foot maintenance facility.
Frontier will have preferential use and scheduling rights for the 14 ground boarding gates which will enable front and rear aircraft door enplaning and deplaning, along with exclusive branding rights throughout the facility. The plan was presented today to the Denver City Council Business, Arts, Workforce and Aviation Services Committee and, pending Committee approval, is expected to be presented to the full Denver City Council on April 18.
“This agreement marks a new era for Frontier Airlines and Denver International Airport,” said Barry Biffle, president and CEO, Frontier Airlines. “A dedicated ground boarding facility will benefit customers by cutting in half the time for boarding and deplaning through the use of both the front and rear aircraft doors. That, in turn, will reduce our time on the ground between flights by nearly half and nearly double our number of aircraft operations per gate. We already serve 80 destinations from DEN and this new facility will enable us to bring even more service and more ultra-low fares to more people via Denver International Airport.”
Biffle added, “We use ground boarding in a number of other airports around the U.S., including at one gate in Denver already, and it is common practice in international destinations. Along with newly built, custom-designed areas for customers, team members and maintenance, this facility will be an extraordinary new addition to DEN.”
“This agreement further solidifies Frontier’s long-term commitment to Denver,” said Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock. “Not only is Frontier adding gates and expanding their presence at DEN, they are also bringing more jobs to our community. This expanded ground load facility will allow Frontier to enhance its customer experience by giving travelers to and from Denver even more options for competitive fares.”
“Frontier has been a valued airline partner at DEN since 1994,” said DEN CEO Phillip A. Washington. “They serve an important role in our market and we’re excited they will continue to be part of our future growth. Our passengers benefit by having so many choices to meet their travel needs.”
The new Frontier facility at DEN will also include:
- Escalators and elevators to transport customers from the existing Concourse A to the new ground-level facility
- A variety of customer-centric features, including dedicated charging stations for electronic devices, a lactation room and a pet relief area, as well as food and retail options
- Air stairs and switchback ramps for each aircraft to enable dual door boarding and deplaning
- Dedicated support space for customer service, expanded team member break rooms, offices and storage
- An 8,000-square-foot maintenance facility adjacent to the gates that will allow for centralization of personnel and parts in close proximity to the gates and room for growth to support future operations
Pending Denver City Council approval, the first phase of the project, encompassing an initial four gates, is targeted for completion in fall 2023 with full project completion slated for summer 2024.
“We are proud to be Denver’s hometown airline,” said Biffle. “This landmark new facility will enable us to continue to grow at DEN, and provide more service for our customers, along with more jobs and greater economic benefit for the Denver community.”
I liked it when your slogan was A Whole Different Animal.