Fly here. Fly now. And experience the Durango-La Plata County Airport

DURANGO, Colo. – Those who’ve experienced a medical MRI or CT scan will recognize them immediately – but they’re not for people. They’re for luggage.

An EDS, or explosives detection system, is one of the latest, and perhaps the most visible addition and upgrade to the Durango-La Plata County Airport. With tight economic times, the airport might not have the funding to invest in big-ticket renovations, but the team is working steadily to improve the airport “experience.” Convenient check-in with the new EDS tops the list.

“Rather than go up to the ticket counter, get your bag tag, and then haul your stuff across the room to the TSA where they swab the bag, now we’ve got one machine, soon two,” said Ron Dent, the airport’s director of aviation. “You come into the airport, they take your bag at the ticket counter, put it on the machine and it goes right out onto the cart and to the plane.”

The EDS, located behind the Frontier counter and soon United’s, truly does use technology similar to a CT scanner, taking the equivalent of hundreds of x-ray pictures of a bag from different angles to automatically recognize the characteristic high density signatures of threat explosives. If a threat is detected, TSA agents will remove and swab the bag.

“It really makes us much more professional, and opens up a lot of room in the lobby area,” said Dent, noting the TSA “pod” will be removed. “No hassle. No waiting around. Now everything’s gong to be much more efficient.”

Passengers will also notice efficiency at the gate. The TSA security screening has moved out of the hallway and into the departure lounge. A second x-ray machine will be installed at the first of the year. Though the move eliminates some seats in the departure lounge, it relieves the congestion in the hallway. Together with the EDS, passengers likely will need to spend less time “waiting around” for their flights just because of security.

While the airport has had input and involvement, the security upgrades are an extension of all that has occurred since the terrorist attacks of 9-11. Indeed, the EDS units were presented to the airport with little notice, so Dent and his team had to scurry to complete the construction. Any additional upgrades to the terminal at this juncture, however, need to be financed completely by the airport. Given the tenuous situation in the airline industry, it’s difficult for Durango-La Plata to do long range planning.

“Right now instead of saying we’re going to spend $1 million fixing up the terminal, we’re saying, it’s been a good month, now we can buy wallpaper,” said Dent, noting that the airport has had a very strong year, having passed last year’s total emplanements of 115,000 by the end of October. “It’s just difficult to plan. But, the more people fly out of here, the more we can do here. “

Dent regularly walks the terminal, viewing it as a passenger might – especially a first-time passenger, as those have been steadily increasing since the flydurango.com marketing campaign raised awareness.

“What do you really want to see (in an airport)?” said Dent. “Efficient, friendly service, pleasant surroundings, clean restrooms, maybe a latte. Basically everything hassle free.”

The restrooms in the more than 20-year- old terminal are being addressed. The departure lounge rooms have been completely renovated, and now enjoy upgraded, contemporary finishings. The lobby restrooms are next on the list.

To improve the “first impression” for visitors, the terminal will have a complete overhaul of the advertising displays in the coming year. Considered “a little garish” by Dent, the backlit ad boards will be replaced with a mix of tasteful advertising and artwork.

“We’ve got a lot of pride in our community,” said Dent. “If our local people are meeting somebody here, we want them to feel good about it. And when guests arrive, this is their first exposure to the community.”

Improved food service also ranks high on the list of To-Dos. The contract for the restaurant concession comes up early in 2009, so the airport will be issuing requests for proposals. The existing vendor is welcome to re-apply, but Dent notes that he has received a great deal of interest from additional food service providers.

“We’re hoping the successful vendor will also establish a coffee cart in the departure lounge,” said Dent, adding that plans are to remove the less than attractive vending machines. “We’re also looking into a water purification system for the departure lounge. You can bring your own water bottle and fill it up, but we’ll also have our own water bottles for sale – nice ones that people will want to keep.”

Parking is growing again, with some 250 spaces to be added for the automated south lot. The short term parking has been merged with the long term lot, purely to meet parking demand. And because parking is a key revenue source for the airport, Dent wants to make sure it’s the best it can be.

“It allows us to keep our costs down to the airlines, and allows us to be more attractive to a new carrier,” said Dent, explaining airlines pay landing fees and terminal rents. “If we have huge fees, that discourages them. We want to do everything we can to make our carriers successful, so we’re containing our costs.”

Completely behind the scenes, is enhanced safety on the runways. The taxiway will be paved an additional 1200 ft., corresponding to the runway and eliminating the need for an aircraft to move onto an active runway when preparing for take-off.

Within the next year a multilateration sensor will also be installed for enhanced air traffic control. Though not yet satellite technology (which according to Dent, has not progressed as rapidly as anticipated), the multilateration sensor takes radar to the next level.

“Right now once you’re below 11,000 feet, they don’t have you on radar,” said Dent. “So if you have three airplanes coming into Durango, one gets to go in for the approach and the other two fly around in a circle. We can handle four planes in an hour if we’re lucky.”

The new system, however, can target an aircraft’s exact position, even below 11,000 feet, and sequence planes on arrival. Instead of 15 minutes, the airport will be able to route a plane for landing every three minutes.

“It’s just one of those little things that makes life easier for the airlines, passengers and everybody else,” said Dent.

On the drawing board, for when the economy improves, is the addition of a central concourse off of the departure lounge, large enough to effectively “dock” four planes. Instead of jetways, which Dent explains are expensive and high-maintenance, the airport is looking into L-shaped ramps from the concourse into the plane – dispensing with the steep stairs and the hike across the pavement.

“If you’ve got an aircraft parked further out and it’s snowing, it really looks like a scene out of Doctor Zhivago,” said Dent. “We don’t think that’s good for our customers.”

Some things in the industry are, however, out of local control. Fuel cost is significant, but the industry is looking ahead and staging test flights with a new synthetic fuel. Aircraft manufacturers are also building more energy efficient planes – but perhaps not the size suited to Durango.

“My biggest worry is looking out there and seeing that small aircraft are no longer being built. They’re just not economical to operate,” said Dent, of the 70 seat and smaller regional jets – typically Durango-La Plata’s core aircraft. Durango-La Plata’s nearly 10,000 ft. runway is capable of handling the “big” jets, but convincing the airlines to come is the delicate dance.

“We’re on that cusp,” said Dent.

To many, air service is considered part of a community’s infrastructure, but if it’s not economically viable, it can indeed disappear. Though Durango-La Plata’s boardings were up 22 percent last month, other small regional airports are suffering. Durango and Grand Junction may emerge as the Western Slope’s major airports, but it’s a volatile industry.

Dent’s answer to ensure air service? “Look local first… i.e. fly out of Durango and not Albuquerque. Keep it here.”

To learn more about the Durango-La Plata County Airport, visit www.flydurango.com – and check back, a new web site is planned for launch in February 2009.

 [email protected]