Posted on 12/27/2006 12:34:34 PM PST by george76
Spokesman doesn't see any reason to alter procedures.
Airport officials didn't promise any changes Tuesday despite the avalanche of criticism about the 45- hour closure of Denver International Airport that snarled holiday traffic across the nation.
Even a suggestion by their boss, Mayor John Hickenlooper, that some of the equipment that cleared both lanes of Peña Boulevard might be diverted to runways was dismissed.
"I don't know why we would do anything differently," DIA spokesman Chuck Cannon said when asked about plans to handle another major storm bearing down on the Front Range that might hit Thursday...
Cannon... a debriefing on how DIA reacted to last week's blizzard is scheduled this afternoon.
Hickenlooper wondered aloud at a news conference earlier in the day why if lanes in both directions on Peña Boulevard were opened Thursday, more progress had not been made clearing the runways.
"Would you like me to explain that to you since the mayor didn't bother to call and ask us?" Cannon said when asked about Hickenlooper's observation.
"Getting a runway open does not mean you can open the airport. You have to get the associated taxiways open. You have to get the de-icing pads open; you have to get the ramp areas open," ...
"You had to get the ramp areas open so that flight crews and baggage handlers and ticket agents and passengers can get to the airport. It's a very large and complex system," he added.
Still, saying DIA is a big airport is not an excuse, Boyd said.
Although DIA officials talked about 7-foot drifts on the runways, Boyd said 7-foot drifts on Pena Boulevard were plowed.
Cannon fired back that DIA has "plenty of equipment. We have more equipment than we have operators."
(Excerpt) Read more at rockymountainnews.com ...
.
Unions?
" While DIA was still digging out last Friday, Centennial had one of its busiest days, as more than 1,000 corporate jets swarmed the airfield to pluck executives stranded in the Mile High City by the blizzard... "
Cannon fired back that DIA has "plenty of equipment. We have more equipment than we have operators."
--
Well, I'm sure all that unused equipment looks great sitting in 7ft of snow!
Not sure of the details, but it smells bad.
" Unions..."
Maybe the Press Conference today will shed some light ?
DIA should demand government support of Global Warming to keep future snow away.
There is no excuse for the incompetence of those in charge of the airport and the state's snow removal plans.
A new storm is on the way and it will probably be spring before the airport is back to normal.
DISGRACEFUL!
Never has there been so much incompetence by so many in one beautiful state.
Wow... the stupidity of the Monday morning Quarter Backing.
DIA has only one road into and out of the airport ... Pena Blvd. If that road is closed, then it is no possible to do anything else. Taxiways, runways, anything else cant be cleared if the workers cant get to the airport.
There is no excuse for the incompetence of those in charge of the airport and ...
Now now, This was a very bad/good storm. I love the snow. I have a Jeep and driving these side streets is an adventure.
People knew this storm was coming at least two days before it hit. The grocery stores were emptying out pretty fast. These people stranded had time to change plans. Pena Blvd is 4 lanes of flat hiway. DIA has many runways, taxiways, and all the other equip they mention.
We had a plow with the big dumper full of sand get stuck in front of our house. It took 3 hours for a tractor plow to get to him to get him out. Then they dragged the thing half a block before they could get it to drive. Then they left and didn't plow the neighborhood. Oh well. I went out, and had the roads all to myself. That was fun.
Why are people in Colorado surprised by big snowstorms and the problems they cause? This isn't a hurricane. But anyway, where are our FEMA trailers, and $2,000 debit cards. I could really use that money. I have unexpected storm expenses. (joking)
Disclaimer - No, I do not work for the Airport. I don't even live in Denver. I live in Littleton. I don't like Hickenlooper, and don't know the airport boss.
Mother Nature can put a wallop on an area that man just can't keep up with. It's that simple.
Demonrats hiring cronies for the important jobs. No experience needed!
I like Subarus for the AWD.
*off topic*
But yeah, have they even started to plow anything at the airport? The excuse is that it's a big airport?
I realize this was a storm of some magnitude but by now it should be back to normal operation.
That was Ray Nagin's excuse on why the school busses weren't used to evacuate New Orleans before Katrina.
Wonder if this guy worked for Nagin?
Glad you thought it was fun. People have to get to work. No work, no pay for many. The airport is a connecting hub for many flights. By shutting down for so long it affected flights across the country. Might have been fun for you but if you don't work for the airport, then you must be a teenager living at home.
Centennial ...
"Our crews know how to remove snow."
" For the record: Along with most area airports, Centennial was shut down last week for about 27 hours... "
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5239478,00.html
We were watching the Bronco's game Christmas Eve and all I could say was "those poor bastards. Here it comes again'.
By the way I played golf Christmas Eve Day.
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