>From below: "If they weren't so busy trying to make business decisions for someone else, maybe they wouldn't be in the shape they're in," said Andrew Hudson, Frontier's senior manager of government relations. "It's a little bit more understandable why they're in bankruptcy in the first place." Take that UAL!! HAHA By <mailto:ggriffin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Greg Griffin and Jeffrey Leib, Denver Post Staff Writers United Airlines has proposed moving rival Frontier Airlines farther from the main terminal at Denver International Airport in a plan that would also require at least five other airlines to trade concourses. But Frontier, which has grown out of its gate space at DIA, immediately ruled out the idea of moving from the A concourse to C. Denver officials also were skeptical, saying that shuffling carriers would create major operational problems at the airport. United officials floated the plan to Denver reporters Tuesday as a solution to the escalating battle over United's eight gates on the A concourse. Frontier wants United to give up some or all of the gates, but United is unwilling. "We've provided a proposal that improves DIA's efficiency, minimizes customer inconvenience, treats tenant airlines equitably and avoids unnecessary construction and disruption at the airport," said Amos Kazzaz, United's vice president of financial planning and analysis. United flies 60 percent of the airport's passengers. It filed for bankruptcy protection in December and is negotiating new lease terms at each of the airports it serves. On Tuesday, United asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Chicago for six more months to submit its recovery plan, which had been due early next month. The request to extend the deadline until April 6 will be heard in court Sept. 19, according to court documents. Officials have said the carrier expects to exit bankruptcy in the second half of 2004. Under United's plan for DIA, Frontier would move from its 11 gates on the A concourse to as many as 23 gates on C. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, US Airways, Alaska Airlines and possibly AirTran Airways would move to the A concourse. A total of eight additional gates for Frontier could be built at each end of the C concourse. United's plan is estimated to cost $30 million to $40 million. The airport also is considering extending the A concourse at a cost ranging from $100 million to $300 million. Frontier officials said United's proposal is completely unworkable. "If they weren't so busy trying to make business decisions for someone else, maybe they wouldn't be in the shape they're in," said Andrew Hudson, Frontier's senior manager of government relations. "It's a little bit more understandable why they're in bankruptcy in the first place." Moving to another concourse would separate Frontier's domestic operations from its increasing number of flights to Mexico, which must use the international reception facilities on the A concourse, Hudson said. It also would push Frontier farther away from the main terminal and take away one of Frontier's advantages at DIA - access to a pedestrian passenger bridge from the terminal. "We've discussed this with the city. We've told them that this is not a doable solution for us," Hudson said. Frontier has placed orders for 15 new aircraft and wants to expand its operations in Denver, but airline officials say it may be forced to grow in another city. Airline officials say they'll begin planning for that expansion later this year if the airport doesn't commit to giving Frontier access to at least eight additional gates. But United says it will need the gates during construction of a $50 million regional-jet terminal it has asked the city to build, and later, as air traffic increases. Airlines that would be affected by United's proposal for Frontier were taken by surprise. "We are not aware of any such plan, and we hope the airport will arrive at a solution that does not involve large capital expenditures," said Northwest Airlines spokeswoman Mary Stanik. Alaska Airlines, recently forced to move to the C concourse to open a gate for Frontier on A, did not comment. DIA co-manager Vicki Braunagel did not reject United's proposal. "We are looking at all the scenarios, exploring all the options," she said. But the proposal "does raise significant operational issues." One would be the inefficiencies created by moving airlines that fly large jets like the Boeing 757 and 767 to the A concourse from C. The big planes cannot pass under the pedestrian bridge that links DIA's terminal with the A concourse, so a move of carriers such as Delta and American would make it difficult to operate their flights there. Another way to satisfy Frontier's needs would be to expand the west end of the A concourse. The airport has considered a $300 million expansion that would add 10 new gates for large planes and six commuter-jet gates. A less expensive option may involve construction of eight or nine gates for large jets at a cost of about $100 million. At the same time, United would get its regional-jet terminal. "At the end of the day, we want United to get what it needs, Frontier to get what it needs and for the other carriers to know that they can also operate here efficiently and cost-effectively," Braunagel said. http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~26385~1621460,00.html