Denver’s International Airport is under the focus after it was revealed that he authorized nine executives to fly to Madrid in first class or executive class. While this may not seem so strange, the movement caused a reaction when it was discovered that a ticket cost $ 19,000. Another staff member broke the travel policy of airport employees by adding their two -week vacation in Europe after the conference.

Denver International Airport

IACAO CODE

Den/Kden

CEO

Phillip A. Washington

The airport, which has defended spending, has affirmed that executives traveled to Spain for a key industry conference; However, during a crisis of cost of living, this has caused growing concerns about public spending and be transparent. According to CBS News Colorado, critics have argued that this is a broader issue of mismanagement among aviation authorities.

The travel policy “allowed it”

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Executive director Phillip Washington and his eight senior executives flew to the capital of Spain, Madrid

In April, for a three -day conference on airport terminals. The airport travel policy allowed the nine passengers to travel to executive or first -class class at each stage of the trip. One of these tickets cost $ 19,000, and another was $ 16,000. While international trips are expensive, the entire trip for the nine travelers costs $ 165,000, or an average of $ 18,000 when other expenses are considered, including hotels, flights, meals, conferences costs and land transport.

When asked about a CBS News Colorado zoom call, the CEO of the airport defended the total cost of the group, emphasizing that the decision of the personnel to travel in the most expensive service class on each flight was:

How much does a standard ticket for Madrid cost?

While it is common for business travelers to travel in Premium classes as businesses or first, it is generally argued that a more comfortable flight increases productivity both on the ground and in the air. Washington stressed that the team had to start running upon arrival in Madrid and go from one plane to another. This contradicted the travel and dates of the conference, with itineraries provided to CBS News Colorado that show that there were 25 hours between the arrival of the group and the conference from the next morning.

Multiple Denver executives spoke at the conference or sat in panels. Representatives of Los Angeles International Airport

and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

Both attended, but sent much less personal (Lax: four, DFW: five).

A standard economic ticket between Denver and Madrid can start from $ 1,200 and increase constantly, with several American airport options. With several European carriers in the substantial base of Denver and United at the airport, there could be many options for the executive group to travel at a substantially lower cost. Direct flights to Europe from day currently excluding Madrid, but others include:

Related

United Airlines begins the new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner between Denver and Rome

This is the first non -scales flight to Rome.

1,700 airport executives around the world descended on Madrid

A total of 1,700 airport executives were in Madrid for the conference, with aviation experts that shared vital information, showing the latest trends and technology at the airport terminals. For Denver headquarters, the detailed total cost of all travelers’ itineraries was revealed, demonstrating that Dave Laporte, the airport operations director, the ticket was only $ 19,194. In contrast, the Vice President of Planning and Design of the Senior of the Airport had an itinerary for a total of $ 15,764. The Washington CEO ticket reached $ 12,324, and the airport cabinet head, Maria Melandez, had a ticket that cost $ 12,324. The tickets of the other five executives ranged from $ 9,000 and $ 11,000.

It seems that Medandez potentially violated the travel policy of airport employees. This policy allows employees to add two business days to work trips and prevents people from adding long vacation in the company’s ten centers. Mendelez traveled through Europe for two weeks after the conference, returning to Denver at the end of April.

The CEO of the airport firmly believes that the cost was “valuable” and will eventually compensate for costs in

Diameter
By saving money, since the trip was an excellent investment for the Rocky Mountain region. The financing for the trip came from the income per day, which are of parking fees, income from car rental and concessions.