A manager for United Airlines apologized Thursday for unreliable service in Durango, where it is the biggest carrier with an average six flights a day to Denver.
It has shown improvement this month by making 100 percent of its flights – “meaning we actually made the trips; in previous months we haven’t always done that,” said Alicia Gabriel, senior manager for United Express.
In August, 97.5 percent of scheduled flights were completed, for example. In June, it was 96 percent.
On-time departures and arrivals have been erratic, too, with data showing a wide variation and often failing to meet the airline’s goals, according to a slide presentation that Gabriel gave to the Durango-La Plata Airport Commission on Thursday.
Emphasizing that the “worst is behind us,” Gabriel also acknowledged frustrations.
“We recognize the window of opportunity for revenue is small, and we know we hurt you in 2013,” she told the commission. “Our intent is not to relive that for 2014. ... We’re going to keep working at it until we find what works.”
Often speaking in bureaucratic acronyms and jargon, referring to aircraft as “shells,” Gabriel explained that Republic, its regional carrier, has faced many operational challenges, such as its turbo jets needing extra attention and maintenance.
The airline has been in a constant hiring-and-training mode to have the staffing to comply with new federal guidelines requiring so much pilot training and rest between flights.
Gabriel also alluded to operational problems in Denver and the unusual weather on the Front Range this year.
To address problems, Gabriel pledged to do “more things proactively instead of getting down to the wire.”
She said United was going to back up 22 flights with five reserve aircraft. The industry standard is more like one plane for 20 flights. It will be an expense because planes are not making money if they’re not in the air, Gabriel said.
During question time, customers told Gabriel they have gotten used to leaving a day early to make their destinations on time because they cannot rely on United.
Others said they were annoyed that United flights from Durango land at “Gate 72,” or the far end of the terminal in Denver, making for long treks and “100-yard dashes” to connecting flights.
Kip Turner, director of aviation for Durango-La Plata Airport, said he did not think United’s problems were unique to Durango.
“In their defense, I think they’re doing all they can,” Turner said.
Tom Greenhut, chairman of the airport commission, said he got the impression United would try to avoid “overcommitting” itself in the future.
Gary Derck, an airport commissioner and chief executive of Durango Mountain Resort, said it was unfortunate that United’s operational problems could prevent it from taking advantage of an opportunity – absorbing the extra business as the result of the seasonal departure of Frontier Airlines.
Because they had opportunity to speak to a United executive, local business leaders made their pitches for new flight destinations.
Julia Levy, director of government and public relations for BP’s Rocky Mountain region, asked for a direct flight to Houston.
She said she was surprised that other mountain towns “that are more leisure travel destinations” have flights to Houston, but not Durango, which has so much gas and oil and more of a business connection to Houston.
“To many of us, it seems the business case (for a Houston flight) is fairly apparent,” Levy said.
Matt Taylor, chief executive officer of Mercury, a credit card payment processing company, made his pitch, too, while trying not to offend others in the room.
“I love oil and gas in this community, but we would prefer Chicago or San Francisco or Atlanta, in addition to Houston,” he said.
jhaug@durangoherald.com
The name of the United Airlines’ regional carrier was misstated in an earlier version of this story.
