Editor:
It is Amory Lovins who is spinning the fabulous fables (“Aspen airport downgrade, a fabulous fable,” July 19, Aspen Daily News). His words, “The Aspen airport is among the airlines’ most profit-intensive stations — reportedly No. 3 in the world for United Airlines a few years ago.” Whoever “reported” that needs to check their math.
In 2023, United flew 141 million passengers to about 210 domestic and 120 international destinations for gross passenger revenue of $40 billion. Aspen is the third-busiest airport in Colorado but it is No. 191 in the U.S., right between Great Falls and in front of Durango. Aspen accounted for about 180,000 (0.13%) of United’s passengers, or one in 783, at an average ticket price of $675. You can check the revenue and passenger numbers at transtats.bts.gov/averagefare.
So in 2023, Aspen was .13% of United passengers and about .3% of United's revenue. Previous years will be about the same.
So please explain how Aspen could be United’s No. 3 profit center when it only provides .3% of United’s revenue?
Dennis O’Meara
Snowmass Village