Someone here posted all the plans, but yeah, it's going to get completely redone. Everyone moves over to "our" side for a couple of years while they completely gut and redo the main terminal. Then we all schlep over there and they are knocking the E gate extension down. Last timeline I heard was 2030. I think STL gets a pass on not trusting the airlines when it comes to big infrastructure projects, although I think the vast majority of this will come out of the ticket tax.

 

STL airport authority are morons. Think CVG and PIT and then go dumber.

 

A STL commuter recently told me the head airport guy that was difficult in his dealings with SWA is leaving.

 

Good, people running that place are the dumbest people ever. Back in 2009 the clowns running that place decided they wanted more revenue. So they told all the airlines their landing fees would be raised.

AA was the largest airline at the airport due to TWA and told the airport to pound sand, they’d move most of their operation to ORD. STL said, “yeah right, sure you will”. AA put out a press release listing all the flights that would no longer exist. STL said, “uh, you can stay with the same landing fees you were paying before”. AA gave the airport the finger and moved shop in 2010. AA crew base closed soon after.

SWA said they’d pick up the slack but they also weren’t paying the increased fees. STL said, “yeah that’s fine”. Which is why we fly to TUL, ICT, MSP, etc out of STL. Those were all old AA Connection routes that were cancelled when they moved operations to ORD.

 

Pilot base closed in 2018. I think it coincided with the draw down of the MDs.
FA base was 2021 but I think STL still technically has a satellite FA base still. I think it’s attached to DFW.

The airport basically runs a flat budget. Fees went up because AA kept pulling flights, by 2009 they were basically dehubbed and they had to pay the bills somehow. Whatever costs are is what the fees work out to be. Less flights means higher fees per flight, more flights is less fees. It’s pretty easy math. It isn’t like they charge extra fee and have a surplus they just pocket. If they end up with extra money at the end of the year it gets credited back to the airlines.

The airport director, who I actually think has done a decent job with what she has had to work with is retiring in August. So if she happened to be a sticking point for anything she will be gone after that. I assume they will bring in someone from the outside, which I also think isn’t a bad idea. It’s been about 20 years of the same director and she worked for AA and TWA before that. So it would be nice to get a fresh face in with outside ideas.

Southwest is basically running the show on the new terminal so whatever happens they will get what they want from it. They will be paying for a big chunk of it anyway.

 

^ basically correct. I think the timeline slipped a few months. Around the end of the year Delta, air Canada move into C. United moves into D and they reopen all of D. So it’s all open down to the Southwest gates. Supposedly Southwest is picking up 2 gates but not sure if that changed with the flight reshuffling.

They will demo and build the first half of the new terminal over 2-ish years. Then move everyone except Southwest into it early 2029. Then demo C and D build the rest and move in Southwest early 2031.

 

STL does not get a pass on not trusting airlines after the new runway debacle. The airlines were right to give that city the middle finger after the city tried to get them to pay for their ego project that did nothing for the airport.

 

And the winner is... SAN

 

I’d be surprised if OAK stays a base much longer. We’ve pulled out of terminal 1, and keep shrinking.

My bet is SMF or SAN replaces OAK.

 

You should see ATL. Way smaller than OAK.