The Denver City Council on Monday rejected a contract between Key Lime Air and Denver International Airport, citing the airline’s work transporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees.
The agreement would have leased ground space at the airport to the Colorado-based company. While the airline’s operations at DIA will not be affected, one city councilwoman raised concerns the vote could impact $90 million in federal grant money for the airport.
In October, Colorado Newsline reported that two of the company’s planes have been ferrying people detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement across the country. Their reporting found that Key Lime operated 83 flights for ICE in September.
The news sparked protests at the airline’s headquarters at the Centennial Airport and the University of Colorado Boulder, which uses the company to fly its basketball teams.
Key Lime has operated out of DIA since 2006. Currently, it runs a cargo feeder service for UPS and the passenger airline Denver Air Connection from the airport. A protest against Key Lime is also planned in Pueblo on Saturday, to be held at Walgreen’s, 1520 W. 4th St. The city’s airport is served by Denver Air Connection.
“We have to send a message, and we have to push back in any way we can, because what is happening is absolutely horrible to our community,” Councilwoman Flor Alvidrez said, explaining her no vote.
The proposed lease would have provided the company with 1,200 square feet of space on the south cargo apron to house snow removal equipment, employee parking and an office trailer. Key Lime will still be able to use a common storage area shared with other airlines for free, according to Councilman Kevin Flynn.
Eleven of the 13 council members voted to reject the lease. Flynn was the lone vote in favor of the measure. One council member who appeared via Zoom did not cast a vote, and was marked absent.
As a result of the vote, the airport could stand to lose $90 million in federal grant money from the Federal Aviation Administration, according to Councilwoman Sarah Parady. She said that under the grant agreement, the city cannot treat airlines differently. But Parady said she was far more concerned with the Trump administration’s deportation efforts that Key Lime has supported than any hit to the airport budget.
“That’s a large number, but it’s a large number that’s coming out of an extremely healthy airport budget,” Parady said.
By law, the airport is separately funded from the rest of the city. Its nearly $2 billion budget flows from self-generated revenue, primarily through fees.
A spokesperson for Denver International Airport did not respond to a request for comment.
Corrections:
This story was updated at 1:30 p.m., Dec. 16, 2025, to correct the size of the space Key Lime Air had requested to use at Denver International Airport. The proposed lease would have provided the company with 1,200 square feet on the airport’s south cargo apron.
Type of Story: News
Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
