WingTips February 2014
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February 2014 Volume 6, Issue 2
In This Issue
Hotel & Transit Center Discover Veracruz Air Service News Frontier Airlines Returning to Memphis Beginning March 7, 2014, FAA Appoints Mayor Tokyo and Beyond Frontier will fly four weekly nonstop flights between Denver and Memphis MEM), inaugurating a return to DIA Generosity Model Seeing the Light Memphis International Airport for the airline. Frontier will operate the flights with 138- seat Airbus 319 aircraft 5 Years for Aeromexico Dog God Visits DIA United Connects with Pueblo The first day of April this year will see United Airlines provide its first nonstop service between Denver and Pueblo, Colo., (PUB) using Embraer 120 turbo aircraft, which seat 30 passengers. United will offer five flights weekly. The 108-mile trip will take less than an hour. Pueblo is not currently a destination from DIA.
Denver Gets Direct Flights to Hailey Colorado travelers will be able If you've traveled to DIA recently, you've no doubt noticed the Hotel and Transit to fly nonstop between Denver Center building beginning to take shape. Crews are now working on pouring and Sun Valley, Idaho, concrete for the 10th floor of the hotel. When complete, the hotel will have a total starting July 2, 2014, when of 14 floors. Workers are also putting the final pieces of the plaza canopy into United Airlines begins flying place. The canopy will extend through the hotel building, forming the ceiling of the from DIA to Friedman 6th floor lobby, out onto the plaza. The northern section of the canopy heads Memorial Airport (SUN), toward the Jeppesen Terminal and ends just as it reaches sections of the iconic located in Hailey, Idaho, which roof at the south end. is 13 miles south of Sun Valley. United will offer one 2013 was a year of tremendous progress. Here's a look at some of the program flight daily in each direction. numbers:
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Completion of Terminal West Elevated Roadways and Terminal East Level 5 Elevated Roadway
80,000 square feet of bridge deck constructed From Feb. 7 7,000 cubic yards of structural concrete placed through March 2, More than 275,000 employee hours worked without a safety incident 1949, Capt. James Gallagher and a Construction of Commuter Rail Station Platform U.S. Air Force crew of 13 flew nonstop More than 1.5 million pounds of rebar placed from Ft. Worth, Texas, around the Train platform and corresponding transit center areas completed by the world, returning to intergovernmental agreement date (with RTD) and transitioned to RTD on the embarkation Jan. 1, 2014 point. The aircraft Approximately 1,000 tons of steel delivered to the site for the platform they used was a canopy structure Boeing B-50A Superfortress. The Construction of the Hotel Building trip took 94 hours and one minute Hotel constructed up to the 8th floor and required in- 4,100 tons of rebar delivered to the site flight fueling four Approximately 37,000 cubic yards of concrete poured for the hotel building times. Capt. and train platform to date Gallagher and his crew accomplished the first round-the- world nonstop flight. Steve Fossett made the first solo transpacific balloon flight between Feb. 18 and 21, 1995. Fossett flew 5,430 miles, beginning in Seoul, Korea, and traveling to Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada. The balloon was filled with helium.
Contributors
Massive glass and steel canopies are integral to the Hotel and Transit Center. This photo Laura Coale – Writer focuses on the canopy at the south end of the hotel complex, which will cover part of the Steve Klodt – Chief Editor open-air plaza. Manuel Moreno - Writer Heath Montgomery – Writer Ken Mostek - Photographer Julie Smith – Writer
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Looking north from what will be a new hotel, construction on the north end of the glass and steel canopy proceeds.
Mayor Hancock Is First Mayor Appointed to FAA Management Advisory Council Mayor Michael B. Hancock is among 10 new members to be appointed by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx and Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Michael Huerta to the FAA's Management Advisory Council (MAC).
Mayor Hancock is the first-ever mayor to be appointed to the MAC, which advises the FAA on management, policy, spending and regulatory matters. He will serve a three-year term on the council, which meets quarterly. Panel members serve three-year terms in a volunteer capacity and retain their private sector positions.
Mayor Hancock was honored by the appointment and said, "I look forward to bringing Denver's ingenuity to the table as we work to advance major issues on behalf of DIA, other airports and the aviation industry."
"These established aviation leaders will help guide the FAA in its many critical air- transportation policy decisions, supporting our commitment to a first class aviation system," said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Foxx. "These proven aviation experts will be lending their knowledge to help advance the nation's air travel system as the safest and most efficient in the world."
Foxx appointed nine other new members to MAC, including: Steve Alterman, president, Cargo Airline Association; Montie Brewer, former president and CEO, Air
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Canada; Ray Conner, vice chairman, The Boeing Co.; Jane Garvey, former FAA administrator; Lee Moak, president, Air Line Pilots Association; and John "Jack" Potter, president and CEO, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
DIA Generosity a Model for Other Airports Last February, Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock was the first to donate spare change to help the homeless at a DIA.
He deposited cash in receptacles made especially to collect money for Denver's Road Home program.
Just one year later, millions of generous passengers have raised more than $82,000 (February 2013 through January 31, 2014).
DIA installed the change collection containers at all three passenger screening checkpoints so that travelers — as they empty their pockets of coins before passing through metal detectors — might choose instead to donate the money to Denver's Road Home, the city's plan to end homelessness.
"I'm inspired by the generosity of the travelers passing through Denver International Airport," said Mayor Hancock. "Passengers really have stepped up to help those less fortunate by emptying change from their pockets and into the donation receptacles for Denver's Road Home. Their generosity is helping to end homelessness one person, one family at a time."
The change collection receptacles are just one way Denver International is supporting the homeless in Denver. In late 2007, DIA placed a dozen donation parking meters for Road Home inside the airport, which brought in approximately $1,800 annually.
"Since the launch of the spare change donation program last February, numerous airports have contacted us to learn from our success, as they are interested in setting up similar fundraising efforts in their own facilities," said Kim Day, Denver's manager of aviation.
The ninth annual PJ Day celebration, which is Road Home's annual fundraiser to ensure that the homeless have a place to put on their pajamas and sleep at night,
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took place Feb. 6. DIA celebrated the day with a raffle and other contests that required donations for participation. The Department of Aviation raised $8,000. So, DIA's combined efforts to raise money for the homeless (change receptacles and meters plus PJ Day donations) have raised more than $90,000.
To learn more about PJ Day and to find out how much money was donated citywide this year, visit: http://pjday.org.
To learn more about Denver's Road Home program, follow this link to a photo essay: http://www.denversroadhome.org/photoEssay.html
Or, you can visit: www.DenversRoadHome.org.
Video of the mayor donating change last year can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSoW_Sd-q_I.
Denver International Airport installed change collection containers in an effort to support Denver's Road Home, the city's plan to end homelessness, last February, raising more than $82,000 to date. There are two containers located before the A-security checkpoint pictured here in addition to one located before the south security screening checkpoint and another before the north security screening checkpoint.
Aeromexico Celebrates Five Years in Denver Over the last five years, more than 75,000 passengers have travelled between Denver and Mexico City on Aeromexico, which began service at DIA on Feb. 1, 2009.
To observe the carrier's fifth anniversary at DIA, Manager of Aviation Kim Day joined Carlos Bello, Mexico's consul general, on Feb. 6 at Aeromexico's departure gate for a brief ceremony. They presented a plaque to Giancarlo Mulinelli, Aeromexico's regional sales director (U.S. West Coast) in appreciation for the airline's dedication to the Denver market. An anniversary cake and other refreshments were available to passengers for the celebration.
Aeromexico's seasonal nonstop flight operates from December to April using a Boeing 737 aircraft that carries up to 124 passengers.
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Many of these passengers are tourists from Mexico who come to ski in the Rocky Mountains every winter. Mexico City ranks as one of Denver's largest international markets, accounting for more than 70,000 annual passengers across all airlines that serve the market (Aeromexico, United and Volaris).
"Thank you very much Denver for the great support," Mulinelli told the celebrants.
Bello noted that Aeromexico's route demonstrates the importance of air connectivity between Colorado and Mexico. "Nonstop flights from Denver International Airport foster political, commercial, cultural, tourism, academic and family ties," he said.
Day echoed his words and said, "Mexico is our largest international market by country, and this important relationship continues to stimulate the economy in both Mexico and the Rocky Mountain region."
Aeromexico, the largest airline in Mexico, operates more than 600 daily flights from its main hub in Terminal 2 at the Mexico City International Airport. Its network features more than 80 cities on three continents: 47 destinations in Mexico, 17 in the United States, 11 in Latin America, three in Europe, two in Asia, and one in Canada. The airline offers one free checked bag, in-flight entertainment, an open bar, soft drinks, and meals or snacks according to flight duration.
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Denver Manager of Aviation, Kim Day (left) and Mexico Consul General Carlos Bello (right) present Aeromexico's regional sales director (U.S. west coast), Giancarlo Mulinelli (center), a plaque commemorating Aeromexico's five years of nonstop service between Denver and Mexico City.
Discovering Veracruz, Mexico By Manuel Moreno Veracruz is a Mexican state located on the Gulf of Mexico. It may not be as famous as Cancún, Los Cabos or the Mayan Riviera, but it is a hidden gem for those who want to travel to a place full of history and traditions.
When Spaniards conquered Mexico a few hundred years ago, their first settlement was located in what was known as the Rich Village of the True Cross or La Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, a name that evolved to become what is now Veracruz. This settlement became the first city of the Spanish conquerors in the Americas. Currently, the capital of the state of Veracruz is a city called Xalapa, but the largest city is Veracruz, the original Spanish settlement located next to the sea.
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The Port of Veracruz, Mexico. It is located on the Gulf of Mexico. Photo by Eduardo Pavon. Source: Wikimedia Commons through Flickr. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Veracruz is a place with many things to discover: tourists can go to a town where magical wizards clean the spirit of local residents or visiting tourists; tourists can see a native ritual called the flyers of Papantla where locals tied to a 100-foot- high pole literally jump and fly into the air; or they can take a boat to an island inhabited by monkeys. There are other attractions, such as the local celebrations or fiestas of the town called Tlacotalpan (an event that attracts poets, writers and artists from all over Mexico) or historic buildings such as the San Juan de Ulua fortress, a construction that dates back to the 1500s. Catemaco This Veracruz town is located next to a lake on a volcanic mountain range at an elevation of nearly 1,100 feet. What makes this town famous is that in every street there are wizards or brujos, who will clean your spirit or help you get rid of any spells that witchcraft might have put on you. Catemaco is also famous for an island in the middle of a lake which is inhabited only by monkeys that were brought from Southeast Asia many years ago. This island can be visited by a 10-minute boat ride, but it is forbidden, and even dangerous, to actually get off the boat and step onto this island.
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Vista of the Cathedral of the Virgin del Carmen from the lake at Catemaco, Veracruz. Photo by Gustavo Von through Wikimedia Commons.
Flyers of Papantla A myth says that a group of young people from the Totonaca culture started this ritual hundreds of years ago to ask their gods to bring them rain, after a severe drought crippled most of their crops. Today, this ritual is still performed and consists of a few people who climb to the top of a 100-foot-high pole. Once on top, they dance, sing and perform music with drums and flutes. Finally, they jump from the pole and spend a few minutes flying in the air, tied to the pole by a rope, until they reach the ground.
Near the tower of the Church of the Assumption, voladores (the birdmen or flyers) perform a ritual descent in Papantla, Veracruz. Photo by Alejandro Linares Garcia through Wikimedia Commons.
Fiestas of Tlacotalpan During the first days of February, Tlacotalpan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, celebrates the Holy Virgin of Candelaria. During these celebrations, poets, writers and artists from all around Mexico flock into this town to participate in several cultural events, such as concerts or a boat procession on the river Papaloapan.
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During these fiestas, streets are closed to vehicles but are opened to even more dangerous beasts: bulls. For a few hours, bulls run freely on the streets, and brave young and not-so-young people run along with them, just as Ernest Hemingway did in Spain´s Pamplona.
The Traditional Dance Group of Veracruz ride a carnival float. Photo by Flickr user Tandito, licensed through Wikimedia Commons.
San Juan de Ulua This fortress was built in the 1500s by the Spanish conquerors. It first helped them defend themselves from local tribes, but years later it became a prison where Spanish rebels, local natives and even British sailors were imprisoned. It can still be visited, and it now holds concerts and other cultural events.
The centuries-old Fort San Juan de Ulúa was built on an island in Veracruz Bay. Photo by Chivista, through Wikimedia Commons.
Veracruz Cuisine For those who love new tastes, Veracruz offers some of Mexico's most diverse
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dishes. The main dish is the Veracruz-Styled Fish or Pescado a la Veracruzana. It consists of a local fish called Huachinango, similar to a red snapper, cooked with olives, tomatoes, cilantro, lime and other Mexican spices. And of course, it has the main traditional Mexican ingredient that some tourists love but others don't: the chile—that little, spicy, hot green thing.
Other famous dishes from Veracruz are the traditional Gordas y Picadas, which are made with a corn tortilla, covered with cheese, onion and either tomato sauce or mole — a salted chocolate sauce. They are accompanied by gorditas — a fried mix of corn and beans that inflates as a bread. Or you can try a simple shrimp cocktail with local spices and a touch of tomato sauce.
You can reach Veracruz by flying nonstop from Denver to Mexico City and connecting to an Aeromexico flight to this port city.
Tokyo and Beyond Talk about growth. In the third quarter of 2013, the Denver-Tokyo market was stimulated 53 percent! This market surge is directly attributable to United Airlines' new nonstop flight from DIA to Tokyo, which began in June last year.
Easy connections are available from Narita International Airport on Star-Alliance carriers (ANA, Singapore, and United, for example) to other Asian destinations. DIA has seen passenger growth for cities that are beyond Tokyo; the largest increases are Singapore and Bangkok. In the third quarter 2013, both Denver-Singapore and Denver-Bangkok were stimulated by 45 and 42 percent, respectively — tremendous growth rates for markets that are not connected to Denver nonstop. This can be attributed to the ease of accessing these markets now that DIA has a nonstop flight to Tokyo (there were very few single-connect options for Denver-Singapore and Denver-Bangkok passengers prior to the Denver-Tokyo flight).
Other large connection markets beyond Tokyo include Seoul, Hong Kong, Taipei, Osaka, Beijing, Manila and Ho Chi Minh City.
The largest "behind Denver" market is Colorado Springs-Tokyo (through Denver), representing almost two percent of total passengers. Other large "behind" connections to Denver and its nonstop flight to Narita include Salt Lake City, Calgary and Jackson, Wyoming.
Major destinations in Asia are easier to reach now that Denver has a nonstop flight to Tokyo. At Narita International Airport, you can connect to Star Alliance airline partners that fly to cities and countries beyond Tokyo.
The majority of passengers, or 35 percent from June through September, are http://business.flydenver.com/info/news/publications/wingtips/2014FebLarge.html[7/28/2014 1:41:09 PM] WingTips February 2014
"bridge" passengers because their trip connects on the Denver-Tokyo flight but their itinerary neither begins nor ends in Denver or Tokyo. The largest bridge passenger market is Dallas/Fort Worth-Denver-Tokyo-Okinawa followed by Colorado Springs- Denver-Tokyo-Seoul. DIA's Airline Market Shares
Seeing the Light Enter a dark space and be mesmerized by light and color. A Light Journey, a new exhibition at DIA's art gallery on Level 5 of Terminal West, is expression in light.
The exhibition's light sculptures, which are freestanding, pedestal and wall- mounted, have bright colors (mostly powered with LED lighting elements) and are set off by a totally black room—and they are dazzling.
The journey in the exhibition title perhaps refers more to the artists' sojourn through the creative process than to an excursion of light itself. After all, light travels at a speed of 186,282 miles per second, so light from these sculptures reaches viewers' eyes in less than a nanosecond.
Or maybe the title comments on the journey that viewers take as they move from one light sculpture to another and experience the pieces visually and perhaps viscerally and intellectually.
A Light Journey, features works by local artist Dorothy Tanner and her late
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husband, Mel Tanner. Dorothy, now age 91, founded Denver-based Lumonics Light and Sound Gallery after moving from South Florida.
Dorothy and Mel Tanner's "Lumonics" concept showcases vivid light sculptures in a new exhibit at DIA: A Light Journey.
Although each sculpture stands alone as an artistic expression, Dorothy's interest is to integrate the works into a total environment, creating an installation that expresses a powerful visual and emotional sensibility.
"Light has the power to create, define, and solidify; or leave in shadow that which we believe to be real," she believes.
Dorothy and Mel Tanner began their luminal art in the 1960s, adding the elements of live projection, electronics and music to create a multisensory experience they call "lumonics." Since the passing of Mel Tanner in 1993, Dorothy collaborates with longtime associate, Marc Billard, creating electronic music and video, continuing to build the Lumonics experience.
You can experience Dorothy and Mel Tanner's "Lumonics"—patterns of light developed into vivid sculptures — in A Light Journey, a new exhibit at DIA's art gallery in the Jeppesen Terminal atrium.
Mel met Dorothy while they were students at the Brooklyn Museum Art School. During their more than 40 years of marriage and artistic collaboration they http://business.flydenver.com/info/news/publications/wingtips/2014FebLarge.html[7/28/2014 1:41:09 PM] WingTips February 2014
established an art workshop in Syracuse, N.Y., founded an artist co-op in New York City, and created a studio in Miami, Fla., where they continued to produce art using several mediums.
A Light Journey is now open and concludes in early May.
A Visit from the Dog God Remember the papier-mâché projects you undertook in elementary school? Imagine creating a 14-foot-tall sculpture out of paper, cardboard and paste, and then painting it with intricate designs.
Mexican artist Óscar Becerra Mora has done just that, creating an alebrije, Mexico's version of a fantastical figure. His work — Xólotl: Dios Perro — is on display in the Jeppesen Terminal atrium from now until spring.
Traditional Cartoneria – Monumental Alebrije Xólotl, a sculpture made of vibrantly-painted papier-mâché, incorporating modeled cardboard by artist Óscar Becerra Mora is now on display in the center of Jeppesen Terminal, from February through spring.
Xólotl: Dios Perro showcases Mora's mastery of the traditional Mexican art process of cartoneria — cardboard-making. The Dog God Xólotl (pronounced Sho-low-tel) pays homage to the Aztec culture. It is said that he helped his brother, Quetzalcóatl, in the creation of humankind. And Xólotl was charged with guarding the sun as it passed through the underworld. One of his abilities was to change himself into other figures such as objects, plants or animals. Xólotl: Dios Perro is the artist's expression of the Aztec myth.
"This creative and vibrant sculpture was created by our neighbors in Mexico and it's going to be a stunning and intriguing conversation piece in the center of the
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terminal," said DIA's manager of aviation, Kim Day.
Artist Óscar Becerra Mora adds detail to his papier-mâché sculpture. This artwork from Mexico is now on display in the Jeppesen Terminal atrium from February through spring.
Xólotl: Dios Perro is the first monumental alebrije that has ever been on display in the United States. This sculpture was also a part of the 2013 Biennial of the Americas celebration in Denver and was originally installed at the new History Colorado building, prior to moving to DIA. The sculpture was brought to Denver with the help of the Mexican Consulate of Denver, Mexican Cultural Center of Denver, Museo de Arte Popular, History Colorado, Biennial of the Americas, Visit Denver and Denver International Airport's Art and Culture Program.
Bruce Marsden helps add color to the papier-mâché sculpture, which depicts the Dog God Xólotl, a deity from the Aztec pantheon. From February through spring, the 14-foot sculpture can be seen in the center of Jeppesen Terminal atrium.
Customer Service Outreach Following Twitter Comment When Seher Basak was flying home at night and connecting through DIA for Los Angeles, she had time to grab some food.
So, she consulted the restaurant section on FlyDenver.com and found places that were listed as open. She decided to visit New Belgium Hub on Concourse B. After walking all the way to the east end of Concourse B, she discovered New Belgium was closed—an hour before the listed time.
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Basak turned to Twitter and sent a message to the DIA account, asking the airport to keep its Website's posted times for restaurant openings and closings up to date. DIA's on-call public information officer saw the Twitter message and immediately replied to Basak with an apology. The passenger sent another message: "Actually, darn near all the restaurants started closing at 9, don't know what's up w that."
The airport's on-call PIO promised to investigate and started to think about how DIA could make up for Basak's inconvenience. Would Basak be travelling through DIA soon? "Maybe in a few months," she replied.
New Belgium Hub bar and restaurant on Concourse B.
Two airport PIOs talked to DIA's Commercial Division to determine why New Belgium had closed early. But, they also wanted to do something special for Basak. Since she wasn't flying through DIA anytime soon, they conceived a customer service gesture that could be sent to her. New Belgium Hub was onboard with the idea.
A package and letter of apology were sent to Basak. She received New Belgium- branded items and paraphernalia from DIA.
As a result of this outreach, Sahak took a photo of the items and distributed it via Twitter with the following message: "Best CS [customer service] ever. Missed @NewBelgium, asked to fix close time on site & you really hooked it up. New fav hub!"
World's Most Impressive Paper Airplane? Follow this link to check out a truly unique aircraft:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/03/travel/manila-airplane/index.html?hpt=hp_bn10
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City & County of Denver Department of Aviation 8500 Peña Boulevard | Denver, Colorado U.S.A. | 80249-6340 [email protected]
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