urbanSTL

I am wondering if STL will get the JFK direct flights back. I remember one could fly both AA and DL to JFK. I see MCI getting Jetblue service to JFK, but will STL get that service back.

Speaking of L-1011s, if you watch the movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and the scene filmed at Lambert, you'll see the L-1011s. Especially the part where Steve Martin walks on the runaway. L-1011s are one of my favorite airplanes.

10-intuition wrote: ↑

Dec 19, 2021

I am wondering if STL will get the JFK direct flights back. I remember one could fly both AA and DL to JFK. I see MCI getting Jetblue service to JFK, but will STL get that service back.

Speaking of L-1011s, if you watch the movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and the scene filmed at Lambert, you'll see the L-1011s. Especially the part where Steve Martin walks on the runaway. L-1011s are one of my favorite airplanes.

Honestly direct to JFK is the most important flight missing from STL. My preference DL > AA but either would do.

Alternative: while the other two legacy are sleeping and with UA aligned with AC and LH through Star Alliance, UA should add LAX, BOS, MCO, LAS, PHL/PHX. Can easily become the premier legacy for the region. 

RuskiSTL wrote: ↑

Dec 19, 2021

10-intuition wrote: ↑

Dec 19, 2021

I am wondering if STL will get the JFK direct flights back. I remember one could fly both AA and DL to JFK. I see MCI getting Jetblue service to JFK, but will STL get that service back.

Speaking of L-1011s, if you watch the movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and the scene filmed at Lambert, you'll see the L-1011s. Especially the part where Steve Martin walks on the runaway. L-1011s are one of my favorite airplanes.

Honestly direct to JFK is the most important flight missing from STL. My preference DL > AA but either would do.

Alternative: while the other two legacy are sleeping and with UA aligned with AC and LH through Star Alliance, UA should add LAX, BOS, MCO, LAS, PHL/PHX. Can easily become the premier legacy for the region. 

UA pushed the start of SFO back to early June this weekend. I have little faith they will take advantage of having 2 foreign alliance carriers here. I am hopeful they do but they need to show me something. Get rest of the E145s and add more mainline. LAX is their only other hub we don't have service too. Maybe they could leverage GoJet being here to add a few other things, but I am not sure what else I could see them adding. 

As much as I don't love AA, and Lufthansa really was a big get, it is too bad we didn't get a One World carrier to Europe. AAs route map has filled in pretty well, especially when you add in what Alaska or JetBlue could add to it in the future. 

^I can see it as a real possibility that AA will step up to protect their position as the dominant legacy carrier and possibly provide their own direct flights as a response. I'd be utterly shocked if they don't have the majority of the big corporate accounts locally, but Lufthansa could really change that.

gregl wrote: ↑

Dec 19, 2021

matguy70 wrote: ↑

Dec 17, 2021

I will be flying a new Iberia A330-300 Miami to Madrid on Christmas Eve.  With Southwest's new service into MIA - it is an easy connection now to this flight.  AA always flew to STL to MIA but I am not a lover of AA.  I choose to fly SWA out of STL since they commit to STL as a connection hub and we can fly most places nonstop domestic on them.  

The downside of this is you have two separate tickets and have to reclaim & recheck any checked bags.  Additionally, if you had booked one ticket on AA/IB, in the event of a misconnection you'd be reprotected.  That won't happen with separate tickets.

Yes... but giving plenty of leeway and time to do so. Also when coming back to the states you have to claim your luggage and recheck it anyway.

It's huge for STL to secure a nonstop to Europe doesn't really matter to where because once you get there it's cheap and easy to get around. Was always jealous of that Cincinnati - Paris nonstop. Better gas it up fully because STL to Frankfurt is a long way.

leeharveyawesome wrote: ↑

Dec 20, 2021

Flying STL to Frankfurt is definitely going to hurt your climate score.

Who was suggesting otherwise?

RuskiSTL wrote: ↑

Dec 19, 2021

10-intuition wrote: ↑

Dec 19, 2021

I am wondering if STL will get the JFK direct flights back. I remember one could fly both AA and DL to JFK. I see MCI getting Jetblue service to JFK, but will STL get that service back.

Speaking of L-1011s, if you watch the movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and the scene filmed at Lambert, you'll see the L-1011s. Especially the part where Steve Martin walks on the runaway. L-1011s are one of my favorite airplanes.

Honestly direct to JFK is the most important flight missing from STL. My preference DL > AA but either would do.

Alternative: while the other two legacy are sleeping and with UA aligned with AC and LH through Star Alliance, UA should add LAX, BOS, MCO, LAS, PHL/PHX. Can easily become the premier legacy for the region. 

Great points. Hopefully having Air Canada and Lufthansa flights (both Star Alliance) helps justify additional domestic United routes and/or flights. I'd add CLE to your list. It doesn't have a transatlantic flight and United is the largest legacy carrier there.

dweebe wrote: ↑

Dec 20, 2021

matguy70 wrote: ↑

Dec 20, 2021

Another Starbucks opening in T1 before security.  This is #7 in the airport complex I think.
T1 before security: 1
T1 Concourse A: 1
T1 Concourse C: 2
T2 before security: 1
T2 Concourse E: 2

It's a bummer how little some airports have pre-security if waiting to pick people up/meet people from other flights. Like O'Hare has one lonely McDonalds with no place to sit.

I'm convinced O'hare is the worst airport experience in the world. 

O’Hare isn’t bad but I avoid it nov to feb. It’s hell during a storm or bad weather.

^I don't know how it is for O&D, but I've never really had a problem with making connections there. I can only really speak to airside, as I've spent so little time there landside. (Just waiting in line, to reenter airside, really.) I don't care for T1. T2 is pleasant enough, and the international terminal is perfectly adequate. All that said, I'm thrilled as punch to have a direct flight. It will be darned nice to try out customs in St. Louis for the first time.

TheWayoftheArch_V2.0 wrote: ↑

Dec 20, 2021

RuskiSTL wrote: ↑

Dec 20, 2021

dweebe wrote: ↑

Dec 20, 2021

It's a bummer how little some airports have pre-security if waiting to pick people up/meet people from other flights. Like O'Hare has one lonely McDonalds with no place to sit.

I'm convinced O'hare is the worst airport experience in the world. 

I counter with KCI.  

Talking about major airports. O'hare is dark, crowded, terrible food options, duty free is a joke, and the seating is not only insufficient but terribly uncomfortable without good plug options. Had a 3 hour layover recently, I almost lost my mine. Makes Lambert look luxurious, which says a lot.  

kipfilet wrote: ↑

Dec 19, 2021

Typically yes, you have to collect your luggage when arriving in an international flight even if you are connecting. Many airlines have little booths right outside international arrivals when you can drop off luggage if you are connecting

In the US, it is not "typically"... it is always.  You clear immigration and customs at your first point of entry.  To go through customs, you have to collect your luggage and then recheck it.

gregl wrote: ↑

Dec 21, 2021

kipfilet wrote: ↑

Dec 19, 2021

Typically yes, you have to collect your luggage when arriving in an international flight even if you are connecting. Many airlines have little booths right outside international arrivals when you can drop off luggage if you are connecting

In the US, it is not "typically"... it is always.  You clear immigration and customs at your first point of entry.  To go through customs, you have to collect your luggage and then recheck it.

Unless there's preclearance in the originating city.

There are many options for connections from inbound FRA travelers but you have to be a little creative, same as if we go to FRA and have to book budget airlines that aren't listed on the main booking sites. I'd hope SWA finds a way to market their services as from STL they can launch to a decent number of large and small cities.

gregl wrote: ↑

Dec 21, 2021

kipfilet wrote: ↑

Dec 19, 2021

Typically yes, you have to collect your luggage when arriving in an international flight even if you are connecting. Many airlines have little booths right outside international arrivals when you can drop off luggage if you are connecting

In the US, it is not "typically"... it is always.  You clear immigration and customs at your first point of entry.  To go through customs, you have to collect your luggage and then recheck it.

Except if you are flying from Ireland. I don't know if there are any other airports where you do customs/immigration before flying but that's what I in mind with "typically".

This lists the pre clear airports.

Dublin and Shannon Ireland
UAE
Burmuda, Bahamas, Aruba
A bunch in Canada.

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/preclearance