EDITORIAL: Colorado Springs Airport will fly high with Frontier

Frontier Airlines, an extraordinary company with deep roots in Colorado, believes Colorado Springs is its ticket to success going forward.

That's probably a good bet.

The company plans to begin six new nonstop flights in coming months, using large Airbus planes to connect the Springs directly with Washington (Reagan National), Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, and San Diego. The more flights Frontier adds, the less we'll see of Colorado Springs residents traveling to Denver for affordable non-stop service. As it adds flights, the airport's other major carriers -- United, American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, Allegiant and US Airways-America West -- may have to consider lowering fares.

The last time Colorado Springs saw this many flights added by one airline in one fell swoop was 1996, when now-defunct Western Pacific Airlines established it's start-up hub in Colorado Springs. Western Pacific's strategy was to compete with Denver International Airport by using low fares to attract passengers from metropolitan Denver.

Frontier officials say their strategy in the Springs does not depend on attracting passengers from Denver, and the company will also add flights there. The population of metro Colorado Springs has grown by 35 percent since the Western Pacific days, and Frontier officials believe growth has made the Springs large enough to support more flights without dependence on travelers from Denver.

That may be, and it's great to know that Frontier places so much confidence in this market. But it won't hurt if travelers from Denver choose to save money, or simply exercise additional options, by making the short trip to an airport that's more pleasant and user friendly than DIA.

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We won't be surprised if a growing number of Denver travelers rediscover the Springs as an alternative more attractive than it was in the mid and late 1990s. Back then, getting to the Colorado Springs Airport from Denver was an ordeal. That's because I-25 was four lanes all the way through the Springs and traffic jams were the norm. Today, it is six lanes through most of the Springs and traffic flows smoothly most of the time. Thanks in large part to the Pikes Peak Regional Council of Governments, work will soon begin to widen the highway all the way to Monument. Additionally, the highway has been widened from south of Castle Rock into Denver, and substantial improvements have been made to Powers Boulevard since the 1990s. All of this means that traveling to Colorado Springs Airport from Denver is much less of a hassle than it was 15 years ago.

Those who haven't flown on Frontier may be happy to discover an airline that prides itself on good customer service. The planes are equipped with comfortable seating. A variety of reasonably priced upgrades include DirecTV, provided on individual TVs in front of each seat.

We thank Frontier for its belief in Colorado Springs. The company's decision to invest in our community is just the latest indicator that our future looks quite bright.

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