Southwest Airlines opening crew quarters at DIA

DENVER  — Southwest Airlines is opening a pilot crew base and flight attendant crew base at Denver International Airport.

The facilities will bring about 250 pilots and at least 4,000 flight attendants to Denver, while providing an office for employees to get briefings and to learn about changes in policies and schedules.

Additional Southwest crew bases are located in Baltimore/Washington, Chicago Midway, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Oakland, Orlando and Las Vegas.

"I’m extremely pleased Southwest is deepening its commitment to Denver and continues to see us as a growth market,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said in a news release. “By working with companies like Southwest that are investing in Denver, we’re jumpstarting our economy and strengthening our business climate."

Southwest began service to Denver in early 2006 and now operates 159 daily nonstop flights to 51 destinations from Denver.