Stapleton International Airport Plaza (Denver's tallest at 714′). Due to Stapleton's location east of downtown, the Federal Aviation Administration imposed a building height restriction of 700'-715' (depending on where the building was). This allowed an unimpeded glide slope for runways (8L/26R) and (8R/26L). The height restriction was lifted in 1995, well after the city's skyscrapers had been erected. By the 1980s, plans were under way to replace Stapleton with a new airport. Stapleton was plagued with a number of problems, including: The Colorado General Assembly brokered a deal in 1985 to annex a plot of land in Adams County into the city of
Stapleton International Airport operated nonstop service between Denver and London from 1981 to 1982, but thereafter shifted resources to Salt Lake City and Los Angeles; Denver ceased to be a Western hub by the time Delta acquired Western in 1987. Southwest Airlines and People Express tried low-cost service to Denver in the mid-1980s, but Southwest withdrew and People Express was acquired by Continental. In September 1982 the first revenue flight of the Boeing 767 arrived at Stapleton, a United flight from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. During the energy boom of the early 1980s, several skyscrapers were built in downtown Denver, including Republic