1. Denver International Airport (DIA)
Denver Intl Airport – located in Co USA
BAiNA 6 years (05-10) in a row and 10 years ago voted America's Best Run by Time mag.
Largest u.s…
Colorado, USA
“Best Airport in North America” –Business Traveler Magazine, ‘05 to ‘10

2. DIA: Some interesting facts
Largest U.S. airport, 2nd largest in world
Opened in February 1995
Over 53 sq. miles, elevation 5,341 feet
In 2011, carried 52,699,298 passengers
Richardson, TX is 28.6 sq. mi, 2011 DIA is 11th busiest airport in world

3. DIA opens after costly 16 month delay
Off to a rough start…
Second target opening…
DIA opens!!!
Initial opening scheduled…
Oct 1993
Nov 1993
Dec 1993
Jan
1994
Feb 1994
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1995
Feb 1995
While considered a success today– it sure got off to a rough start. Supposed to open in Oct 93
Third target opening…
Fourth target opening…
DIA opens after costly 16 month delay

4. So why the holdup?
~*~*~
“…a 16-month delay in opening DIA due to automated baggage system complications…”
According to a 1995 report by the United States… it was due to complications with the Automated Baggage System.
Now let’s look at the timeline of events that led up to this failure.
U.S. Government Accountability Office. (1995, September). Denver International Airport: Information on Selected Financial Issues. (Publication No. GAO/AIMD ).

5. So how much did the delay cost?
The owners, City and County of Denver:
$ 500M
The major stakeholders had built:
$ 330M in peripheral facilities +
$ 100M FedEx sorting center
$ 50M est. opportunity cost of idle
Technology, power consumption, programming to manage the queueing algorithims incredibly complicated

6. Let’s consider 3 specifics
Airport design did not include baggage system requirements/specifics
Project Management team changes scope of single terminal automated system to be airport-wide
Stakeholder involvement, responsibilities
Voters approve and 6 months later, construction begins.

7. If you build it (fast), they will fly (slow)
In May of 1989, voters in Denver approved a plan to build DIA
Nov Airport construction begins
Baggage handling system was not a part of the initial airport design, retro-fitting track underground
Voters approve and 6 months later, construction begins.

8. You’re changing this now?
Change of scope
Oct Feasibility study on implementing airport-wide automated baggage system
Decision made less than 2 years before the planned opening
Almost one year after construction starts, the Project Team considers changing scope on baggage handling system and conducts a study to consider an airport-wide automated solution. Study comes back “not capable of being implemented”.

9. Hello. Is there anybody in there?
Where are the stakeholders?
City/County of Denver
BAE
United
Continental
Fed Ex
U.S. Government
Almost one year after construction starts, the Project Team considers changing scope on baggage handling system and conducts a study to consider an airport-wide automated solution. Study comes back “not capable of being implemented”.

10. 100 networked PC’s to control flow of carts
An abandoned system
Technology, power consumption, programming to manage the queueing algorithims incredibly complicated
17 miles of track , 5 miles of conveyor belts 3,100 standard carts oversized carts 14 million feet of wiring
100 networked PC’s to control flow of carts

11. References
De Neufville, R. (1995) “Designing Airport Passenger Buildings for the 21st. Century,"Transport Journal, UK Institution of Civil Engineers, in press
Calleam. (2008). Denver Airport Baggage System Case Study. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from Calleam Consulting:
Breier Neidle Patrone Associates (1990) DIA -- Denver International Airport, Baggage Handling Systems, Conceptual Design Study Final Report, BNP Doc. Ref. 9016R.008, 19 Oct.
U.S. Government Accountability Office, (1995, September), Denver International Airport: Information on Selected Financial Issues, (Publication No. GAO/AIMD )
“The Baggage System at Denver: Prospects and Lessons,” Journal of Air Transport Management, Vol. 1, No. 4, Dec., pp , 1994.
City of Denver engages consultants to do feasibility study.