Hail Damage Causes More Denver Flight Cancelations At Denver International Airport

DENVER -- Dozens more flights had to be canceled at Denver International Airport Friday as airlines continued to deal with the fallout from a hail storm.

Frontier Airlines was the hardest hit by Wednesday's storm, with nearly a third of its 59 large planes in the shop. It canceled more than 60 flights through Saturday and was working to try to move passengers to other airlines with available seats and get more aircraft from its parent company, Republic Airways.

Denver's largest carrier, United Airlines, canceled 39 flights Friday, a day after it canceled about 90 flights because of hail damage. Twelve United planes – out of its fleet of 710 – were out of service as they were inspected for damage, but spokesman Mike Trevino didn't know the extent of the damage.

Another top operator at Denver's airport, Southwest Airlines, said three of its planes were damaged by hail, but, with 550 planes in its fleet, it didn't have to delay or cancel flights.

Five of Frontier's damaged Airbus planes could be returned to service over the weekend. Thirteen others have been flown – without passengers – to maintenance sites across the country for repairs that are expected to take longer. Two other smaller, turbo-prop planes were also damaged.

"When you consider that we have only 59 Airbus aircraft, having this much of the fleet out of service is a significant challenge," Republic CEO Bryan Bedford said in a message to staff Thursday. "Add the fact the airline is booked to 90 percent for July, and you get a sense of how truly difficult of a situation we are facing."

Frontier spokesman Peter Kowalchuk said the golf ball-sized hail that pummeled the airport for about 15 minutes left dimples resembling an orange peel on the planes.

About 1,000 people had to spend Wednesday night at the airport when the storm first hit, including Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

Frontier said it's paying the hotel bills for passengers who've been stranded.

Comments

[Jason Christensen]

10:36 AM on 07/21/2011

I was caught up in this fiasco on Tuesday and although Frontier was willing to pay for hotels...they were only willing to pay for hotels nearby (which we're all full)...so practically everyone on our flight slept on the floor of the airport. I finally had to pay for my own ticket through Southwest just to get out of there on Wednesday.

[1differentdrummer]

05:47 AM on 07/17/2011

Okay now, quickly, why was the airport built out there?

[Footwarrior]

08:34 AM on 07/17/2011

There wasn't room for an airport as large as DIA closer to downtown.

[InYourWorld]

07:00 PM on 07/17/2011

Because it is one of the nations nicest, largest, and modern airports designed to grow.......

[Rob Howard]

10:06 PM on 07/16/2011

Clearly, most of you don't have the faintest idea what you are talking about. Both Boeing and Airbus planes are designed to endure severe hail damage and land safely. But sitting on the ground they can be damaged and by FAA rules have to be inspected and repaired. I have seen planes with unbelievably severe hail damage that landed safely. That is the measure of aircraft design.

[asmir]

05:21 PM on 07/16/2011

airbuses are junk! I always avoid them as they have a poor track record!

[Waite]

06:42 PM on 07/16/2011

Really, and what basis do you have for making a comment. Are you
pilot who actually flies them, are you an aircraft mechanic who works on them, are you an aeronautical engineer, or are you just Boeing fan boy. You might check this link out. Might give you a little food for thought. http://www.rbogash.com/boeing_delay.html

[MyrtleJune]

04:08 PM on 07/16/2011

I didn't know airplanes were so susceptible to hail damage. Didn't they test for that? Really?

[P51MUSTANG]

05:15 PM on 07/16/2011

golf-ball sized hail will total most automobiles.

[MyrtleJune]

08:29 PM on 07/16/2011

Yes, I know. I also know airplanes are not cars. Airplanes are made to withstand extreme atmospheric conditions and should not be vulnerable to a little golf ball sized hail. That they are sure indicates where airplane makers' profit margins came from...... cheap bastids.

[Captai]

02:46 PM on 07/16/2011

So Walker was going to or coming from the Koch compound near Vail changing planes in Denver. One wonders why he wasn't flying on one of their private jest what with being such a key component of their strategy.

[offmyrocker]

01:49 PM on 07/16/2011

DIA= what we should not do in this country....waste money

[Dieter Zerressen]

08:29 PM on 07/16/2011

WTF does your comment have to do with anything? There ought to be some minimum threshold of intelligence for someone to use their computers for anything other than Farmville.

[1differentdrummer]

05:50 AM on 07/17/2011

Stapleton was just fine but politicians wanted to money the deal up and people let them. Why is the highway to DIA so crooked? It touches all of the right land.

[Kisha Chapman]

12:02 AM on 07/17/2011

Airports?

[Chaucea]

12:32 PM on 07/16/2011

Of course, they also built DIA out in the plains in an area where the weather is prone to be extreme (heavy thunderstorms, multiple lightning strikes, large hail, tornadoes, heavy white-out snowstorms). Heh, go figure.

[Captai]

02:47 PM on 07/16/2011

Stapelton was so much better.

[cenourinha]

05:37 PM on 07/17/2011

no it wasn't. it was just familiar. there is a difference

[Dieter Zerressen]

08:31 PM on 07/16/2011

OK, how about next to your house? It would have been very convenient to build it right at Confluence Park but I guess that spot was taken. Sadly they didn't consult you for your preferences.

[Chaucea]

11:37 AM on 07/17/2011

Wow, aren't you being terribly snarky. What exactly is YOUR point in all of this?

MY point was the location they did build DIA at, is very prone to extremes in the weather we have around here. That location is in direct line with storms that move northeast into the plains. Its more vulnerable than if it was built even a bit more south or north of there. :-P

Ironically, have you seen the number of McMansion communities that have built themselves up around DIA AFTER it was built? I guess people DO really like living right next to airports with planes roaring above them.