It’s been a little trickier getting around the Aspen Pitkin County Airport, ever since officials expanded the secure passenger lounge. As Aspen Public Radio’s Elise Thatcher reports, the change has also prompted a big bump for one business inside the airport.
There’s more space for travelers after they’ve gone through security screening and are waiting for a flight. That’s also changed what eating options are available and boosting sales. “One of the places that airports make a lot of money is the concessions,” said Airport Director John Kinney on Wednesday. ”[Travelers] now have complete access to a full service restaurant. I thought the revenues would go up fourfold, [but] they’ve gone up over tenfold.”
Another result of the new security parameters is passengers departing and arriving are more strictly separated, requiring two separate entrances to the building.