From the late 60s all through the mid-90s (when Do328s, BAe-146-300s and the RJ85s and stuff with modern avionics took over ASE flights) tons of commuter airlines with no GPS, no way to paint terrain, no GPWS, questionable training programs, and oversight, ect. (lots of Convairs, Metroliners, DHC-6\7s ect) made it in and out with the procedures of those decades without ever killing anyone. I looked it up and the only air carrier accident serious enough to even be in the NTSB database was an Aspen Airways gear-up incident. Is the airport really such a death trap it needs to be closed?
It's gotta be on the list of the most gnarly airports to operate into and out of in our country, but I think if it was such a death trap it'd have more than 3 fatal GA accidents in its decades of use, especially with all the part 91 jet ops back in prior decades. MMH has similar operating procedures and a similar safety record. When SkyWest and Horizon flew in, they would have to cancel if the tailwind component was too high in either direction as they had to land one way and depart the other, no exceptions. When flights first launched from SFO, I rode in and out on the inaugural for the ride and to take pics, and the flight was canceled for the next 8 days. Ended up with an 18% completion rate the first season (those were fun days at the customer service center as a CS agent, "HOW IS IT A 30 MINUTE FLIGHT BUT A 6 HOUR DRIVE?!"), did a bit better when switched to an AM flight but still had issues often. Just like ASE, any crew flying there needed special training, so usually, the same few dudes were doing those flights. Eventually, both airlines pulled out, and now United is launching SkyWest flights at BIH instead years later to serve that region again. Yet, even with all the drama, I never heard pilots demanding the airport be closed, even though I got to listen to them vent about how annoying it is they take off not expecting to actually get in over and over as it was the same few crews. Is ASE really that much more dangerous than MMH, TEX, EGE etc? Seems like an unusual and demanding but streamlined and proven operation from the outside looking in.
Not just aimed at your post, just asking because long before this thread I've been hearing this for years. BUR seems more dangerous to me for airline ops, personally, as one serious hydraulic issue could plant a 737 into the terminal in about 3 seconds.