St. Louis Lambert Int. Airport [airline/hub/operations/info]

ldai_phs · Post2:39 PM - 6 days ago#100512026-10-22T14:39+00:00

soulardx wrote:I'd love to see this - headed to Mexico City next month! - but is there really enough PDEW to bring a flight here? I think KC has a larger hispanic population than STL. And, as far as I know, there is no commercial, codeshare, or alliance partnership between Aeroméxico and Southwest Airlines.

Delta maintains a 20% ownership stake in AeroMexico (had been 49% until the 2022 bankruptcy).

Yes, Mexico operates a consulate in Kansas City and there are around 2x more Hispanic persons in the KC Metro vs STL. 3x if you count St Joseph, Lawrence, and Topeka.

Keep in mind that KC’s Mexico heritage skews towards Guadalajara and not Mexico City.

dredger · Post2:45 PM - 6 days ago#100522026-10-22T14:45+00:00

soulardx wrote: ↑
2:27 PM - 6 days ago
I'd love to see this - headed to Mexico City next month! - but is there really enough PDEW to bring a flight here? I think KC has a larger hispanic population than STL. And, as far as I know, there is no commercial, codeshare, or alliance partnership between Aeroméxico and Southwest Airlines.

Like STLCityMike, I think this is a great pickup for STL. On business, family and tourist front. Hope it happends

Don't have hard data but people tell me about going to Mexico City for vaca just as much or even more so then going to the beaches. Great city with more going on then ever (you will have the masses of people and traffic), easy to get to from states (wish they would do customs on Mexico side just like Toronto & Montreal) and some pretty good/direct coach service from airport terminal to some of the larger cities outside of Mexico City.

matguy70 · Post4:11 PM - 6 days ago#100532026-10-22T16:11+00:00

Skeptical too. MCI may pick it up, which we would be good for them. But as for pure numbers, there are so many markets that Aeromexcio would want before MCI, IMO.

addxb2 · Post4:31 PM - 6 days ago#100542026-10-22T16:31+00:00

I don't think this is a competition. Both or neither could get the route. MEX is not an essential service for either though so lets not conflate this as some big "AwWweE wE MiSseD iT" next week. There is no evidence that STL is working on this route and in fact we have the Port Authority telling media that outside of Air Canada (YVR), their priority is supporting our already impressive 2027 service offering. Travelers next summer will have KEF, LHA, FRA, YUL, YYZ, and a long list of Caribbean destinations to support.

The current PAX data for MEX and other Central American destinations. It's essentially a tie.

Screenshot 2026-10-22 at 11.33.02 AM.png (42.45KiB)

soulardx · Post4:44 PM - 6 days ago#100552026-10-22T16:44+00:00

addxb2 wrote: ↑
4:31 PM - 6 days ago
I don't think this is a competition. Both or neither could get the route. MEX is not an essential service for either though so lets not conflate this as some big "AwWweE wE MiSseD iT" next week. There is no evidence that STL is working on this route and in fact we have the Port Authority telling media that outside of Air Canada (YVR), their priority is supporting our already impressive 2027 service offering. Travelers next summer will have KEF, LHA, FRA, YUL, YYZ, and a long list of Caribbean destinations to support.

The current PAX data for MEX and other Central American destinations. It's essentially a tie.
Screenshot 2026-10-22 at 11.33.02 AM.png

nice find on that data and thanks for sharing!

I only brought KC into it because I recently saw stats on hispanic populations and was surprised to see KC ahead of STL. Not like it was huge numbers for either mind you. Also, with KCI absent any "real" international destination, I could see them throwing subsidies at MEX.

Do you understand *exactly* what the "beaches and Caribbean without non-stop" is supposed to communicate?

jshank83 · Post4:49 PM - 6 days ago#100562026-10-22T16:49+00:00

matguy70 wrote: ↑
4:11 PM - 6 days ago
Skeptical too. MCI may pick it up, which we would be good for them. But as for pure numbers, there are so many markets that Aeromexcio would want before MCI, IMO.

I’d expect MCI get it before us just because they are a much stronger delta airport than we are and Aeromexico is a strong delta partner. And I can’t imagine our numbers to MEX are all that different

addxb2 · Post4:59 PM - 6 days ago#100572026-10-22T16:59+00:00

soulardx wrote: ↑
4:44 PM - 6 days ago
addxb2 wrote: ↑
4:31 PM - 6 days ago
I don't think this is a competition. Both or neither could get the route. MEX is not an essential service for either though so lets not conflate this as some big "AwWweE wE MiSseD iT" next week. There is no evidence that STL is working on this route and in fact we have the Port Authority telling media that outside of Air Canada (YVR), their priority is supporting our already impressive 2027 service offering. Travelers next summer will have KEF, LHA, FRA, YUL, YYZ, and a long list of Caribbean destinations to support.

The current PAX data for MEX and other Central American destinations. It's essentially a tie.
Screenshot 2026-10-22 at 11.33.02 AM.png
nice find on that data and thanks for sharing!

I only brought KC into it because I recently saw stats on hispanic populations and was surprised to see KC ahead of STL. Not like it was huge numbers for either mind you. Also, with KCI absent any "real" international destination, I could see them throwing subsidies at MEX.

Do you understand *exactly* what the "beaches and Caribbean without non-stop" is supposed to communicate?

Its not good math, I would ignore it. Places where MEX would be a one-stop option but it would compete against plenty of other one-stop options in Dallas, Miami, Houston, etc. Only a small share of that number would opt to go through MEX over other one-stop options.

soulardx · Post5:02 PM - 6 days ago#100582026-10-22T17:02+00:00

addxb2 wrote: ↑
4:59 PM - 6 days ago
soulardx wrote: ↑
4:44 PM - 6 days ago
addxb2 wrote: ↑
4:31 PM - 6 days ago
I don't think this is a competition. Both or neither could get the route. MEX is not an essential service for either though so lets not conflate this as some big "AwWweE wE MiSseD iT" next week. There is no evidence that STL is working on this route and in fact we have the Port Authority telling media that outside of Air Canada (YVR), their priority is supporting our already impressive 2027 service offering. Travelers next summer will have KEF, LHA, FRA, YUL, YYZ, and a long list of Caribbean destinations to support.

The current PAX data for MEX and other Central American destinations. It's essentially a tie.
Screenshot 2026-10-22 at 11.33.02 AM.png
nice find on that data and thanks for sharing!

I only brought KC into it because I recently saw stats on hispanic populations and was surprised to see KC ahead of STL. Not like it was huge numbers for either mind you. Also, with KCI absent any "real" international destination, I could see them throwing subsidies at MEX.

Do you understand *exactly* what the "beaches and Caribbean without non-stop" is supposed to communicate?
Its not good math, I would ignore it. Places where MEX would be a one-stop option but it would compete against plenty of other one-stop options in Dallas, Miami, Houston, etc. Only a small share of that number would opt to go through MEX over other one-stop options.

ahh, so it's just total trips to Mexico/Caribbean overall. inclusive of all the beach and resort destinations. got it. yeah, irrelevant.

bds520 · Post12:21 AM - 6 days ago#100592026-10-23T00:21+00:00

This isn’t going to happen. First, it doesn’t fit AM’s business model. Second - go check the T-100 data; STL-MEX struggled like a dog passing a peach pit in the TW hub days with an enormous domestic network. Would be a miserable flop.

jshank83 · Post1:35 AM - 6 days ago#100602026-10-23T01:35+00:00

bds520 wrote: ↑
12:21 AM - 6 days ago
This isn’t going to happen. First, it doesn’t fit AM’s business model. Second - go check the T-100 data; STL-MEX struggled like a dog passing a peach pit in the TW hub days with an enormous domestic network. Would be a miserable flop.

I am skeptical of MEX to non DL hubs/large metros that aren't border states in general. Southwest couldn't make it work at all. But maybe they just want to throw some darts and see what happens, especially if they can get cities to cough up some incentive money.

GoHarvOrGoHome · Post7:09 PM - 5 days ago#100612026-10-23T19:09+00:00

The $3 Billion Terminal St. Louis Is Betting on Southwest

jshank83 · Post12:57 AM - 5 days ago#100622026-10-24T00:57+00:00

Nothing interesting with the announcement

bprop · Post5:36 PM - 4 days ago#100632026-10-24T17:36+00:00

GoHarvOrGoHome wrote: ↑
7:09 PM - 5 days ago
The $3 Billion Terminal St. Louis Is Betting on Southwest

Smells like AI generated crap

dweebe · Post7:45 PM - 1 day ago#100642026-10-27T19:45+00:00

I hadn't heard about this.

Calgary to the Middle East wasn't something I had on my bingo card.

10-intuition · Post8:34 PM - 1 day ago#100652026-10-27T20:34+00:00

St. Louis has a sizeable Middle Eastern and Indian community, though Calgary probably has more Indians. Last time I flew on Qatar Airways from Boston 3/4 of the passengers were connecting in Doha and heading to Indian, Pakistan, Bangladesh. Several of the passengers were on the same AA STL -BOS flight as me. It would be nice to see a Middle Eastern Airline add STL as a destination, but the question remains, would it be sustainable?

ldai_phs · Post8:35 PM - 1 day ago#100662026-10-27T20:35+00:00

10-intuition wrote:St. Louis has a sizeable Middle Eastern and Indian community, though Calgary probably has more Indians. Last time I flew on Qatar Airways from Boston 3/4 of the passengers were connecting in Doha and heading to Indian, Pakistan, Bangladesh. Several of the passengers were on the same AA STL -BOS flight as me. It would be nice to see a Middle Eastern Airline add STL as a destination, but the question remains, would it be sustainable?

You’d be eating into the connecting traffic that BA and LH currently carry for one.

jshank83 · Post10:34 PM - 1 day ago#100672026-10-27T22:34+00:00

Canada cities weirdly get a lot of international flights for the size they are. Canadians must just be more likely to travel overseas than US.

Post2:02 AM - 1 day ago#100682026-10-28T02:02+00:00

Watched the transportation and commerce committee meeting today with the airport director salary board bill on the docket.
400-650k is the proposed range as a refresher. Current is 138-208k

Didn't get into specifics on who they have been talking to, but said they have 2 priorities in who they hire.
1. Executive level leadership experience. Top level or 2nd to top level. Not interested in it being a training ground for someone
2. Has experience managing a significant capital program. Mentions there is a big difference between a billion+ dollar project and multi million dollar project.

Bill did pass committee.
BB 68 having to do with them having a binding agreement to stay on even with a mayor change they decided they didn't need anymore.

https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/events/event ... t_ID=55704

Also mentioned several times they want someone who will be here 5-7 years thru the duration of the project.

FWIW, Rhonda testified in favor of it. Says her peers used to question her all the time about the pay. Says it was her choice to stay even though it wasn't competitive, but no one else would come into it.

They did list off some other airport director salaries.
PIT 636K
IND/Columbus 463K+
Minny 516K
LAX 750K
TPA 750K
DFW 589K
Nashville 636K

TheWayoftheArch_V2.0 · Post2:46 PM - 1 day ago#100692026-10-28T14:46+00:00

Minny's director needs a better agent.

dbInSouthCity · Post1:37 AM - Today#100702026-10-29T01:37+00:00

Hosted my monthly downtown happy hour today and a city official was there and said that the new terminal design is a mess.

addxb2 · Post2:32 AM - Today#100712026-10-29T02:32+00:00

Cruel lack of details

dbInSouthCity · Post2:51 AM - Today#100722026-10-29T02:51+00:00

addxb2 wrote: ↑
2:32 AM - Today
Cruel lack of details

Imagine a new terminal but we don’t demolish everything else because the new terminal isn’t big enough

TheWayoftheArch_V2.0 · Post3:14 AM - Today#100732026-10-29T03:14+00:00

jshank83 · Post3:56 AM - Today#100742026-10-29T03:56+00:00

dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑
2:51 AM - Today
addxb2 wrote: ↑
2:32 AM - Today
Cruel lack of details
Imagine a new terminal but we don’t demolish everything else because the new terminal isn’t big enough

If the open skies bill doesn't pass... people are going to have to start getting used to this idea. I haven't been told if it means D stays open or T2 stays open but there isn't going to be enough money to build all the gates they need without the bill passing.

I am under the impression the difference in the bill passing or not is going to end up in very different final products.

symphonicpoet · Post4:38 AM - Today#100752026-10-29T04:38+00:00

^Honestly, if all they do is restore and reopen the rest of C and D and mothball A I'd count that a win. Leave the linear single concourse concept for later. It will probably be more expensive in the long run, since nothing will get done until it's truly needed, meaning there will be less space to paly with, but I still feel moving into C would solve a lot of Southwest's problems, and reopening D and closing the A security checkpoint gets most of the desired savings. And if A and B remain vacant, if mothballed, that still means you can do a phased project later.