DENVER — Denver International Airport's (DIA) trains to the concourses will be shut down overnight for six days in February for scheduled testing of the train's electrical power and infrastructure system.
According to airport officials, testing on these trains needs to be completed before bringing in 26 new trains arriving later this year and replace the current ones that are almost 30 years old.
The closures will take place from 9:15 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Feb. 13-14, 20-21 and 27-28.
During this time frame, West and South security checkpoint will also be closed. Employees and passengers traveling through the airport during the closures will have to use Bridge Security, which will be the 24-hour standard screening checkpoint on those nights. Once past security, those who need to reach the B and C concourses will be guided to buses that will take them to the concourses. Eleven buses will be running just as frequently as the trains.
With two security checkpoints closed, airport officials don't anticipate any problem during this timeframe. This comes just days after long lines formed at all security checkpoints, which caused delays and cancellations.
TSA spokesperson Lorie Dankers said that the same amount of staffing is now being spread out among new lanes and right now TSA does not have any information that they will hire employees to help with the long security lines.
"As you can imagine, wait times vary a great deal nationwide, depending on season of travel, time of day, and size of airport, among other factors," said Dankers. "While we do our best to maintain our wait time standard of under 30 minutes for standard screening lanes, we unfortunately had wait times that hit 45 minutes during the 9-10am hour on a busy Sunday when our officers screened nearly 63,000 people at DIA. The West security checkpoint contains new Computed Tomography scanners and, as with any new technology, there is always some ramp up time needed for our officers to acclimate as they get used to the equipment. We work closely with our airport and airline partners to be able to project the busiest times of the day and make sure we are prepared for the increase in travelers at certain times of the day."
To help keep the lines moving and provide a safe and efficient screening experience for all passengers, TSA recommends:
- Bring an acceptable ID and have it ready when you approach the officer.
- Pack smart; start with empty bags. Passengers who start with an empty bag are less likely to bring prohibited items through the checkpoint.
- Arrive early. Consider every step of your travel journey and allow enough time – including parking or being dropped off, checking bags, and making your way to your gate.
The airport recommends that travelers departing from B and C gates during the train shut down, arrive to security at least 30 minutes earlier than normal.
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