Originally Posted by
Old UCAL CA
No doubt. With the new United having a significant hub presence on the east, west, north and south borders of the US, the future of DEN as a hub is probably already determined somewhere in the halls of Willis Tower.
Additionally, the two guys running marketing and flight ops respectively (Jim Compton and Fred Abbott) have never been shy about optimizing segments, equipment and routing. Out of IAH, we've been doing DEN-SEA, DEN-FLL, and DEN-EWR for a month or so in 737-800/900 equipment. There may be other hub segments through DEN. I'm just not aware of them.
When one additionally considers that legacy carriers have been ceding domestic market share to low fare/small jet carriers for years, the future of DEN will probably not be as one remembers the past, unfortunately.
So copy this post down and put it in your wallet 'cuz I'll bet you 3 beers and a dinner that come 2015 Denver will still be a hub for 3 reasons:
1) UAL invested billions and the payoff doesn't work unless you stay.
2) SWA and Frontier are VERY active in that market
3) As UAL controls more than 80% market share the yields are good.
So like I said take this post and copy it and if we fly together in 2015 and I'm wrong dinner and drinks are on me
Joe Peck
UAL IADFO-76/75