Concessionaires Looking To Fill Thousands Of Open Positions At Denver International Airport
DENVER (CBS)- Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington knows how important concessions are to the airport and travelers from Colorado and the world.
In his Friday meeting with the media he said, "My daughter was telling me, 'Hey listen, when I go to the airport there's two things I'm looking for; the bathroom and someplace to eat.'"
With the recent influx of passengers, the demands for that sector have become even greater.
"More passengers require us to open and stay open longer on the concession side," says Washington.
There's only one problem; just like the airport itself, the concessionaires who provide food and services to travelers have a shortage of workers.
That's why Dennis Deslongchamp, the owner of A Certified ACDBE Company, organized a concessions job fair at Empower Field Saturday. He hoped to find workers. He says companies are now in in dire need because their workforce was sent home during the height of pandemic, and there are a range of vacancies.
"It's every single position. We are looking for 1,000 employees at the airport right now," he said.
However, the crowds didn't show up as anticipated despite all of the openings companies were looking to fill.
"It's been slow but steady. We definitely want more people to come down. We're hiring today on the spot," says Deslongchamp.
Employers are offering everything from health insurance and paid time off to 401K matching to lure in candidates, because the quicker companies can make those hires, the quicker they and the airport can rebound from the COVID slump.
"We're out at the airport with open arms waiting for you to come back," says Deslongchamp.
If you missed the job fair, but are interested in a job at the airport you can visit jobs.flydenver.com to see open positions.
