Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
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“KSTL” redirects here. For other uses, see KSTL (disambiguation).
| Lambert-St. Louis International Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| IATA: STL - ICAO: KSTL | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Operator | City of St. Louis | ||
| Serves | St. Louis, Missouri | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 605 ft (184.4 m) | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| 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 |
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 2003, over 20 million 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. Lambert St. Louis International Airport now serves over 88 non-stop National and International Destinations. Connection traffic through Lambert on American Airlines and Southwest Airlines continues to grow as well. New service and airlines continue to increase service to Lambert-St. Louis International. AirTran Airways, Frontier Airlines, and USA 3000 Airlines have all added service to St. Louis since 2003. American Airlines also continues to increase service at their St. Louis hub.
Contents |
[edit] History
The airport was originally a balloon launching base named Kinloch Field. The Wright brothers visited the field while touring with their aircraft, and Theodore Roosevelt flew on their aircraft while it 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. Also in that year, Lambert became the second municipal airport in the United States.
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.
[edit] Facilities
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport covers 2,800 acres 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)
[edit] Concourses and Airlines
[edit] Main Terminal
[edit] Concourse A
Concourse A has 16 Gates: A2 - A6, A8 - A10, A12, A14 - A19, A21
- Air Canada Gate A19
- Air Canada Jazz (Toronto-Pearson)
- Continental Airlines Gates A9, A14
- Continental Express operated by Chautauqua Airlines (Houston-Intercontinental)
- Continental Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines (Cleveland, Houston-Intercontinental, Newark)
- Delta Air Lines Gates A2, A4, A6 (Atlanta, Salt Lake City)
- Delta Connection operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines (Atlanta, Salt Lake City)
- Delta Connection operated by Chautauqua Airlines (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky)
- Delta Connection operated by Comair (Atlanta, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, New York-JFK [begins June 7, 2007])
- Northwest Airlines Gates A3, A5 (Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul)
- Northwest Airlink operated by Pinnacle Airlines (Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul)
- United Airlines A18, A19, A21 (Chicago-O'Hare, Denver)
- United Express operated by GoJet Airlines (Chicago-O'Hare, Denver)
- United Express operated by Trans States Airlines (Chicago-O'Hare, Washington-Dulles)
- US Airways Gates A15, A16, A17
- US Airways operated by America West Airlines (Phoenix)
- US Airways Express operated by Air Midwest (Columbia, Kansas City)
- US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin (Philadelphia)
- US Airways Express operated by Mesa Airlines (Charlotte)
- US Airways Express operated by Republic Airlines (Philadelphia)
- US Airways Express operated by Trans States Airlines (Pittsburgh)
[edit] Concourse B
Concourse B has 10 Gates: B2 - B4, B6 - B8, B10, B12, B14, B16
- AirTran Airways (Atlanta [begins May 8, 2007], Orlando [begins June 7, 2007])
- American Airlines Gate B14
- AmericanConnection operated by Great Lakes Airlines (Burlington (IA), Decatur, Fort Leonard Wood, Marion (IL), Quincy, Springfield (IL))
[edit] 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 [begins April 10, 2007], Boston, Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Dallas-Love [ends April 9, 2007], Fort Lauderdale [seasonal; ends April 9, 2007], Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans [ends April 9, 2007], New York-LaGuardia, Orange County, Orlando, Puerto Vallarta [seasonal], Raleigh/Durham [begins April 10, 2007], San Antonio [begins April 10, 2007], San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle/Tacoma, Tampa, Washington-Reagan)
- AmericanConnection operated by Chautauqua Airlines (Atlanta, Austin [begins April 10, 2007], Baltimore/Washington, Columbus, Dayton, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Nashville, Newark, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Raleigh/Durham, San Antonio [ends April 9, 2007], Washington-Dulles, Wichita)
- AmericanConnection operated by Trans States Airlines (Atlanta, Austin [ends April 9, 2007], Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, Charlotte, Dallas-Love, Denver, Des Moines, Fayetteville (AR), Hartford/Springfield, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Little Rock, Madison, Memphis, Milwaukee, Nashville, New Orleans [begins April 10, 2007], Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, San Antonio [ends April 9, 2007], Tulsa)
- American Eagle (Boston [ends April 9, 2007], Dallas-Love [ends April 9, 2007], Nashville [begins April 10, 2007], New York-JFK, Springfield/Branson [begins April 10, 2007])
- Champion Air Gate C32 [Scheduled Charters] (Cancún, Las Vegas)
- Midwest Airlines Gate C30
- Midwest Connect operated by Skyway Airlines (Milwaukee)
- USA 3000 Airlines Gate C32 (Cancún, Fort Myers, Punta Cana, St. Petersburg/Clearwater)
[edit] 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 A/B/C and Concourse E)
- Frontier Airlines Gates D4, D6 (Cancún, Denver)
[edit] East Terminal
[edit] Concourse E
Concourse E has 15 Gates: E4, E6, E8, E10, E12, E14, E16, E18, E20, E22, E24, E25, E29, E31, E33
- 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)
[edit] Airline lounges
- American Airlines Admirals Club
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.
[edit] Public transportation
[edit] MetroLink
The airport is served by two Metrolink light rail stations, which offer direct service to downtown St. Louis, University of Missouri-St. Louis, Forest Park-Debalivere The Central West End neighborhood (including the Barnes Jewish Complex/BJC Hospital Complex and St. Louis Children's Hospital), Saint Louis University, the suburbs of the southern metro area and the suburbs in Illinois with an eastern terminus at Scott Airforce Base in Shiloh, IL*. Customers who wish to travel to University City, Clayton, Richmond Heights, Brentwood, Maplewood, or Shrewsbury must transfer at the Forest Park-Debalivere Station*. MetroLink is accessible from both the Main and East Terminals, each with one respective station. Free rides are available between terminals during all train operating hours. Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) are located on the platforms of both stations to purchase two-hour passes (one-ride ticket) and day passes. Tickets are not for sale onboard the train, and passengers who do not show proof of payment upon request are subject to fine and/or citation.
This list of stations is not all inclusive; see http://www.metrostlouis.org for more information.
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
- Between Terminals-Free
[edit] 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 [1] for more information.
[edit] Expansion - Construction
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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Trivia
- Lambert is the airport that the Seinfeld characters leave from in the episode "The Airport."
- Lambert Field's James S. McDonnell USO airport facility is one of the largest in the country, serving over 120,000 military men and women each year.
- Lambert is also featured in the movie Planes, Trains & Automobiles.
- In the 2004 presidential campaign, John Kerry mixed up Lambert Field with Green Bay's Lambeau Field.
- In the movie Anger Management, Dave Buznik (Adam Sandler) was on a flight to Lambert.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- FAA Airport Master Record for STL (Form 5010 PDF)
- Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (official site)
[edit] External links
- Lambert's Expansion Program
- Resources for this airport:
- AirNav airport information for KSTL
- ASN Accident history for KSTL
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KSTL
- FAA current STL delay information
