United talking about gate expansion in Denver DENVER (AP) =97 United Airlines is talking with the city about a gate=20 expansion on Concourse B to serve more regional jets. The bankrupt airline is planning on launching a discount subsidiary to help= =20 it get back on its feet. The talks have been underway for several weeks,=20 said Bruce Baumgartner, Denver International Airpot's manager of aviation.= =20 United wants to spend $25 million to expand gates for regional jets flown=20 by its United Express affiliates on Concourse B this year, according to a=20 business plan presented to its creditors. That is United's highest proposed= =20 expenditure this year among $103 million it plans on "business=20 transformation initiatives." The gate expansion, as well as the low-fare=20 operation, which could require changes to United's use of Denver, are=20 "among a number of issues we're talking to United about," Baumgartner said.= =20 "It is going to be a package deal. Until we're finished, I would not want=20 to talk about the package." United, DIA's dominant airline, has until Aug.= =20 6 to assume or reject airport leases. Officials at the Chicago-based airline have said since it filed for=20 bankruptcy Dec. 9 that Denver, its second-largest hub, would be a major=20 part of a restructured United. The current layout of the commuter wing of=20 Concourse B does not provide as much space as United needs to ramp up its=20 use of regional jets, Baumgartner said. The carrier has said it wants to=20 fly more regional jets to save money. The airline says its pilots union=20 contract severely restricts its use of regional jets and is seeking changes= =20 through negotiations with the union. For example, United wants to be able=20 to fly 70-seat regional jets; it's currently limited to 50-seaters. United= =20 wants to go from 199 United Express regional jets this year to 275 by 2008,= =20 its plan says. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@escape.ca Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Site of the Week: http://www.dbombo.net/muddyangels/ TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************