Wikipedia:

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport

"KSTL" redirects here. For other uses, see KSTL (disambiguation).
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport

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LambertSTLairport.png
IATA: STL – ICAO: KSTL – FAA: STL
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner City of St. Louis
Serves Greater St. Louis, Missouri
Location Unincorporated St. Louis County 10 miles NW of St. Louis
Elevation AMSL 605 ft / 184.4 m
Coordinates 38°44′50″N, 90°21′41″W
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
12R/30L 11,019 3,359 Concrete
12L/30R 9,003 2,744 Concrete
11/29 9,000 2,743 Concrete
6/24 7,602 2,317 Concrete
Statistics (2006)
Aircraft operations 272,585
Passenger volume 15,200,000
Cargo tonnage
Area 2,800 acres
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (IATA: STL, ICAO: KSTL) is the primary airport for St. Louis, Missouri, United States and the surrounding area. The airport lies outside the city limits, but is owned and operated by the City of St. Louis. In 2000, 30,558,991 passengers traveled through the airport. However, passenger numbers dropped substantially to 13 million in 2004, but continue to grow again with over 15.2 million passengers in 2006.[2] Lambert St. Louis International Airport serves over 88 non-stop national and international destinations. Lambert is primarily served by mid-range single aisle aircraft such as the Boeing 737, McDonnell Douglas MD-80, Airbus A320 and regional jets such as the Embraer 145 and Canadair Regional Jet. As of 2007, the largest regularly scheduled aircraft is the Boeing 757 operated by American Airlines. Connection traffic through Lambert on American Airlines and Southwest Airlines continues to grow as well. Currently, Lambert-St. Louis International Airport serves as a hub for American Airlines and its regional affiliate, AmericanConnection. STL is also a focus city for Great Lakes Airlines. It is also home to Boeing, the American Airlines maintenance ramp and the 131st Fighter Wing.

History

Main terminal
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Main terminal
Control tower and main terminal
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Control tower and main terminal

The airport was originally a balloon launching base named Kinloch Field. The Wright brothers and their Exhibition Team visited the field while touring with their aircraft, and Theodore Roosevelt flew on one of their aircraft while he was visiting, becoming the first U.S. president to fly.

In 1920, Major Albert Bond Lambert purchased the field and developed it into an airport with hangars and a terminal. Charles Lindbergh, whose first pilot job was flying airmail for Robertson Airlines at the airport, departed the airport for his record-breaking flight to Paris in 1927. Later that year, Lambert sold the airport, by then known as Lambert Field, to the City of St. Louis. Lambert is one of the older municipal airports in the United States.

In the late 1920s Lambert Field became the first airport with the an air-traffic control system. At that time the system consisted of waving flags to communicate with pilots. The first controller's name was Archie League.[3]

Before World War II, Robertson Airlines, Marquette Airlines, and Eastern Air Lines provided passenger service to St. Louis. During the war, the airport became a manufacturing base for McDonnell Aircraft and Curtiss-Wright.

After the war, Minoru Yamasaki was commissioned to design a new passenger terminal at Lambert. Completed in 1956, the four-domed terminal design inspired future terminals at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City and Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris.

In the 1970s St. Louis proposed replacing the airport with a new airport in suburban Illinois. Missouri residents strongly objected and Lambert underwent a $290 million expansion that increased its operational capacity by 50 percent including lengthening of runways and increasing gate capacity to 81. The proposed MidAmerica St. Louis Airport ultimately was built in Mascoutah, Illinois and opened in 1997 and now acts as a reliever airport to Lambert although it has no major carriers and has been derided as pork barrel.

Trans World Airlines moved its hub from Kansas City International Airport in 1982 and became Lambert's dominant carrier. The St. Louis hub survived TWA's bankruptcy in 1993, and by the late 1990s it was the dominant hub for TWA.

After American Airlines bought TWA and merged its flight operations in 2001, Lambert became a reliever for American's existing hubs at Chicago O'Hare and Dallas/Fort Worth. American transferred many mainline TWA routes to American Connection, a group of affiliated regional carriers.

After the 2003 cutbacks, American introduced American Eagle service at its St. Louis hub in May 2005. Unlike American Connection, American Eagle is wholly owned by AMR Corporation the parent company of American Airlines and American Eagle.

American Airlines Flight 2470 (AAL2470) was the first commercial airliner to land on Runway 11-29, the newest runway at Lambert St. Louis International Airport. The Lambert St. Louis International Airport Expansion Program website posted pictures of the April 13, 2006 Runway 11-29 opening ceremonies.

In late December 2006, American Airlines announced that new service would be offered from the St. Louis hub, operated by mainline (American Airlines service) due to an increased demand from business travelers that regional jets could not efficiently sustain. New routes include Austin, Boston, Raleigh/Durham, and San Antonio.

St. Louis today is American's fourth-largest hub, behind Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport, Chicago O'Hare, and Miami International Airport.

Southwest Airlines also maintains a major presence at Lambert.

In 2007 the United States Air Force announced plans to relocate the 131st Fighter Wing of the Missouri Air National Guard and its 19 F-15 Eagle aircraft from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport to Whiteman Air Force Base and other bases in the region by 2009.

Facilities

STL FAA Airport Diagram
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STL FAA Airport Diagram

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport covers  acres ( km²) and has four runways:

  • Runway 12R/30L: 11,019 x 200 ft. (3,359 x 61 m), Surface: Concrete
  • Runway 12L/30R: 9,003 x 150 ft. (2,744 x 46 m), Surface: Concrete
  • Runway 11/29: 9,000 x 150 ft. (2,743 x 46 m), Surface: Concrete
  • Runway 6/24: 7,602 x 150 ft. (2,317 x 46 m), Surface: Concrete

Terminals:

  • East Terminal (E Gates)
  • Main Terminal (A, B, C, and D Gates)

Concourses, airlines, and destinations

Main terminal

Concourse A

Concourse A has 16 Gates: A2 - A6, A8 - A10, A12, A14 - A19, A21

Concourse B

Concourse B has 10 Gates: B2 - B4, B6 - B8, B10, B12, B14, B16

  • AirTran Airways Gate B12 (Atlanta, Orlando, Sarasota/Bradenton [seasonal; begins November 15])

Concourse C

Note: Concourse C has a Customs/Immigration area located under gate C32

Concourse C has 30 Gates: C1 - C3, C5 - C10, C12, C15 - C19, C21, C23 - C25, C27 - C36, C38

  • American Airlines Gates C1 - C3, C5 - C10, C12, C15 - C19, C21, C23, C25 (Austin, Boston, Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Fort Lauderdale [seasonal; begins December 13], Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York-LaGuardia, Orange County, Orlando, Raleigh/Durham, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle/Tacoma, Tampa, Washington-Reagan)
    • AmericanConnection operated by Chautauqua Airlines (Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore/Washington, Columbus, Dayton, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Nashville, Newark, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Raleigh/Durham, Washington-Dulles, Wichita)
    • AmericanConnection operated by Trans States Airlines (Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, Charlotte, Denver, Des Moines, Fayetteville (AR), Hartford/Springfield, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Little Rock [ends December 12], Madison, Memphis, Milwaukee, Nashville, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Richmond, San Antonio [begins December 13], Springfield (IL) [begins November 4], Springfield/Branson, Tulsa, Wichita)
    • American Eagle (Nashville, New York-JFK, Springfield/Branson)

Concourse D

Concourse D has 15 Gates: D2, D4, D6, D12, D14, D16, D18, D20, D22, D24, D26, D30, D32, D34, D36

(This concourse is mainly vacant and serves as a walkway between Concourses B/C and Concourse E)

East Terminal

Concourse E

Concourse E has 15 Gates: E4, E6, E8, E10, E12, E14, E16, E18, E20, E22, E24, E25, E29, E31, E33

  • Champion Air Gates E31, E33 (Cancún, Las Vegas) [scheduled charters]
  • Ryan International Airlines Gates E29, E31, E33 [scheduled charters] (Cancún, Montego Bay, Puerto Vallarta)
  • Southwest Airlines Gates E4, E6, E8, E10, E12, E14, E16, E18, E20 (Albuquerque, Baltimore/Washington, Birmingham (AL), Chicago-Midway, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas-Love, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Houston-Hobby, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Little Rock, Los Angeles, Louisville, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Orlando, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Tampa, Tulsa)
  • USA 3000 Airlines Gates E29, E31, E33 (Cancún, Fort Myers, Punta Cana, St. Petersburg/Clearwater)

Airline lounges

Located at the B/C/D connector, this Admirals Club is a large, flagship hub Admirals Club. The club features seating for 244. Club highlights include bar/snack area, basic ticketing functions, espresso bar, three private conference rooms, and complimentary use of PCs (6), dataports, copier, printer and paper shredder.

Located on the lower level of the Main Terminal next to baggage claim carousel #M6, this USO airport facility is one of the largest in the country, serving over 120,000 military men and women each year. The airport facility never closes.

Public transportation

MetroLink

Metrolink station at the airport
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Metrolink station at the airport

The airport is served by two MetroLink light rail stations directly serving downtown St. Louis with one station at both the Main and East Terminals. Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) are located on the platforms of both stations to purchase two-hour passes (one-ride ticket) and day passes. Fares purchased at the airport are slightly higher than fares puchased elsewhere in the system.

Fares:

  • Metro Day Pass: $4.50 (Unlimited rides on all MetroLink and MetroBus lines on day of purchase)
  • Metro Two Hour Pass: $3.50-Full Fare and $ 1.75-Children (ages 5–12), Elderly(ages 65+) and Disabled customers (Unlimited rides on all MetroLink and Metrobus lines with in 120 minutes of purchase)
  • Children Under Five ride free

MetroBus

The Lambert Bus Port provides Metrobus Service to surrounding areas. The bus port is located adjacent to the intermediate parking lot, accessible via the tunnel connecting the airport main terminal.

Routes Serving Lambert Bus Port:

  • 49 Lindbergh
  • 66 Clayton-Airport

Fares:

  • Metrobus Fare: $1.75-Full Fare and $0.85-Reduced Fares (ages 5-12), Elderly(ages 65+) and Disabled customers
  • Metrobus Fare w/ Multiuse Transfer: $2.25 Full Fare and $1.10 Reduced Fares for Children(ages 5-12), Elderly(ages 65+) and Disabled customers (Unlimited rides on all MetroLink and MetroBus lines with in 120 minutes of purchase)
  • Children under five ride free

See [4] for more information.

Expansion - construction

Runway 11/29 was conceived on the basis of traffic projections made in the 1980's and 1990's that warned of impending strains on the airport and the national air traffic system as a result of predicted growth in traffic at the airport.[5] The $1 billion runway expansion was designed in part to allow for simultaneous operations on parallel runways in bad weather. Construction began in 1998, and continued even after traffic at the airport declined following the the 9/11 attacks, and the purchase of Trans World Airlines by American Airlines in April of 2001 and subsequent cuts in flights to the airport by American Airlines in 2003.[6][7] The project required the relocation of seven major roads and the destruction of approximately 2,000 homes in Bridgeton, Missouri.[8] [9] In addition to providing superfluous extra capacity for flight operations at the airport, use of the runway is shunned by fuel-conscious pilots and airlines due to its distance from the terminals.[10]

Airport officials are drafting plans for terminal modernization at this time. The program, known as the "Airport Experience," is designed to help make the airport more responsive to the needs of passengers. Working with existing facilities, the program will modernize Lambert's terminals. In February 2007, Lambert-St. Louis International announced the largest renovation in the airport's history, which will include overhaul just about everything at the Main Terminal, from road signs to window panes. There will be more stores and restaurants, terrazzo floors and pedestrian bridges from the parking garage to the ticketing area. A domed glass canopy will arch above sidewalks and roadways, protecting visitors from bad weather. The $105 million job will be completed in 2012.

Aircraft production

McDonnell Douglas had its world headquarters adjacent to the airport. The facilities, now run by Boeing, is now the headquarters for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. One of its most well-known production items is the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

Popular culture

See also

References

  1. ^ FAA Airport Master Record for STL (Form 5010 PDF), retrieved 2007-07-24
  2. ^ Historical Passenger Statistics by Type for the Years: 1985-2005 (English). General Information about Lambert. Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. Retrieved on 2007-10-14.
  3. ^ Mola, Roger. Aircraft Landing Technology. U. S. Centennial of Flight Commission. Retrieved on 2007-07-24.
  4. ^ Metro Home Page. Bi-State Development Agency. Retrieved on 2007-07-24.
  5. ^ The Expansion Story. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
  6. ^ Historical Operation Statistics by Class for the Years: 1985-2006. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
  7. ^ "New $1 billion runway opens this week, but it's not needed anymore", USAToday.com, 2006-04-11. Retrieved on 2007-07-25. 
  8. ^ Airport/Mass Transit November 2005 - Feature Story. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
  9. ^ Airports and cities: Can they coexist?. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
  10. ^ "St. Louis' airports aren't too loud: They're too quiet", USAToday.com, 2007-01-09. Retrieved on 2007-07-25. 

External links


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