United Airlines sees the Fourth of July as one of the big holidays that is the industry’s equivalent of the Super Bowl. And United officials consider its station operations center at Denver International Airport as the quarterback for the big event that will be in full swing until at least Monday.
In Denver, United’s fastest-growing hub, the quarterback has undergone a new training regime just in time for this weekend’s big game. United, the dominant carrier at DIA, finished the first phase of a $10 million redesign of its operations center about two weeks ago. The upgrade is the facility’s first since the airport opened in 1995 and the first of seven center makeovers United plans across the company.
“It’s a huge upgrade for us and it was long overdue,” said Jonna McGrath, vice president of United’s airport operations in Denver.
“We think that it will help us as we continue to grow and make sure (employees) are able to get their jobs done in the most efficient, comfortable manner,” McGrath added.
The space is a kind of nerve center for the airline where “zone managers” monitor everything from what’s happening at each of United’s 90 gates across two concourses to tracking flight arrivals and departures, baggage loading and unloading and weather. The center operates 24/7 and the goal is to get passengers to where they’re going, said Colin Whatley, director of United’s station operations center.
Employees can track the activity at their desk and also look at five, 75-inch screens on the wall.
“I’m thankful that we have it for the busy holiday weekend and that we’re all in one location,” Whatley said. “We’re going to carry well over 60,000 customers a day for the next week just here in Denver.”
Whatley recommended arriving early for flights and using United’s mobile app, which features a countdown to connecting flights and customized directions to gates with estimated walk times.
Airport officials have said more than 900,000 passengers could pass through security at DIA through July 7. United expects to see approximately 6 million passengers systemwide June 27-July 7, spokesman Russell Carlton said.
The number of people traveling by air nationwide this Fourth of July holiday could be a record, with 5.84 million people expected to be on flights, AAA said, That would be an increase of 1.4% from last year’s holiday week.
“We’ve been planning for the July Fourth weekend for six months,” Whatley said.
The team in the operations center “locks into making sure” people get to their destinations during the big holiday rushes, Whatley said.
The center is tucked behind the scenes, along with several United offices. The redesigned operational space is 5,050 square feet, close to the previous size. Adding office suites and an emergency operations center, expected to be completed by October, the entire facility will be 7,800 square feet.
Whatley said work on the upgrade began four years ago. Goals included making the operation more efficient. The number of work stations increased to 66 from 45. And the work stations, at $5,000 a pop, were designed with input from company ergonomic and corporate safety teams. Instead of having to monitor six screens, employees can pull up different sites on one large, curved screen.
Employees can also track activity on five, 75-inch screens on the wall.
The desks can be adjusted so people can stand or sit. They include an individual overhead light and built-in heaters and fans. Walls in the center were built with materials that absorb sound. Whatley said designers discussed what kind of lighting to install in the space.
“There’s actually a right amount of yellow and blue light that prevents employees from feeling fatigued or exhausted,” Whatley said. “It comes down to the employees. They’re the ones who day in and day out are helping get these flights out and getting the customers on the planes.”
United is logging roughly 560 departures a day in Denver. Members of the operations center’s team represent the airline’s different departments and functions, including pilots, flight attendants, customer service, ramp service, technical operations and maintenance. SkyWest, a regional carrier operating under the United Express brand, has a seat in the center.
Carlton said the operations center serves as a central communication point, with employees funneling information to their respective areas of oversight.
“The employees communicate in a variety of methods, from phone calls to radio to real-time group chats. It’s all part of the nuanced orchestra taking place behind the scenes to run the airline day in and day out,” Carlton said.
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