Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington has one word for travelers using DIA this holiday season: Patience.

Washington, in his first press conference since taking over the role July 19, addressed members of the Denver media Friday morning and fielded questions about the long wait times at TSA checkpoints, parking woes caused by driver shortages, and the ongoing construction projects.

“First of all, we understand that this is not ideal for our passengers,” Washington said. “I am in the terminal every day and I see the long lines. The first thing I will say is, we appreciate the patience of the traveling public. We intend to make this better.”

Washington stated repeatedly that DIA was designed to handle 50 million passengers when it opened 26 years ago. In 2019, before the pandemic crippled the travel industry, 69 million passengers traveled through the airport. Officials are expecting almost 73 million in 2022 as more business travel, and international travel, ramps up as COVID-19-related restrictions are eased.

“I like to say this is the same airport, but more people,” he said.

The first order of business is to add four TSA security lanes to the south terminal’s 5th floor area. While they’re trying to get that accomplished before the holiday season, it’s more likely going to be completed in early 2022. Those additional four lanes could allow for 600 more passengers to move through per hour.

“We’ve got to basically shoe-horn these lanes into the existing footprint, and that’s going to be tough,” Washington said.

If Denver City Council approves airport officials’ funding request, there could be a total of 42 TSA checkpoint stations, up from the existing 28, he said.

The Great Hall construction continues as phase one is ready for a grand opening Oct. 27. That work added 86 check-in stations on the sixth level for United Airlines and Southwest Airlines — the airport’s two largest carriers. They will move in before Nov. 10, when the new area will be officially opened to the public.

Phase two started earlier this month and will disrupt the north end of the Jeppesen Terminal, as new security checkpoints are installed on the sixth floor. Plans call for three escalators to move people from the new sixth-floor security stations directly to the train platform. Improvements should be functioning by the beginning of 2024, according to Greeley-based general contractor Hensel Phelps.

Thirty-nine new gates are also under construction, and anticipated to be completed by the end of 2022. Washington said those gates are already spoken for, and the airlines are clamoring for more.

“Most of the airports in this country have turned into large construction sites and we are no different,” he said. “It’s like renovating your house while you still live in it, because we’re still operating.”

As far as the parking issues, Washington said the Pikes Peak lot would again open this weekend — but still only temporarily because of the driver shortage.

“This is no different from many other industries, like school districts, school bus drivers, transit drivers and operators. We’re experiencing the same thing,” he said. “We’re looking to do everything that we possibly can to open up those lots.”

The existing contract calls for drivers to have a commercial driver’s license. Officials are trying to renegotiate that so drivers can start without one, then train towards getting it. They’re also using smaller vans that don’t require a commercial driver’s license.

Washington outlined his four-pillar plan Vision 100 to get the airport ready for 100 million passengers. The plan calls for additional employee training and reaching out to the community “to introduce the aviation industry,” especially for “minority communities and young kids,” he said. The plan also calls for more globalization efforts, especially international flights to and from Africa “to make sure that our local businesses have a shot to work internationally.” Officials are also working to shore up existing assets like elevators, escalators, bathrooms, etc.

“We are still the youngest airport in the country, but we’re 26 years old and aging,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do to retrofit this airport.”

An additional measure Washington has implemented to help with the crowds includes an order he recently signed to keep concessions open until 10 p.m. Employee shortages have caused some concession operators to close early.

On the travelers’ side, Washington urged them to arrive at the airport a minimum of two hours before takeoff time, and to add another hour if using the Pikes Peak lot because of reduced shuttle runs.

“That’s not leaving your house two hours prior, but actually being in the airport,” he said.