zachary

When AA cut back in STL, I started flying WN a little. Especially short hops where AA didn't fly non-stop and WN did. Frankly, I kind of liked what I found. I'd rather have an assigned seat, but if I checked in at T-24, I always got the aisle I wanted near the front of the plane.

After a while, WN actually grew on me. I'm flown over 20 segments on WN this year, including flights to PDX where I had to connect in DEN. I could have flown AA (and did on a few ocassions), but often WN's schedule was better. Now, I'm A-List and CP on WN; still lifetime GLD on AA (with no chance of ever making lifetime PLT based on the new system).

It's been an interesting experience for me. I never wanted to fly WN before. Now I fly WN to MDW rather than AA to ORD (much easier to get downtown). RR 2.0 is pretty good, although it won't take me outside the US.

This isn't a shot at AA. They weren't making money at STL, so they had to make changes. It's just that while I used to be someone who would connect to get to a place like MCO that WN flies non-stop, I'm just not there anymore.

JimboM1391

Due to a strange turn of events, I found myself on AA yesterday on my way back to STL. (Originally on UA, flight CXL, rebooked on AA. Sounds simple, but believe me, it wasn't.) Anyway... C Concourse looks AMAZING. I wish more people were able to experience it. Take everything you remember about Lambert from the TWA and recent AA days and throw it away. It's like a completely different airport. Now if they could just finish up the rest of the place... There's still quite a bit of plywood scattered about.

ksweeney

The remaining plywood on windows seems strange. I understand the large windows in the domes were special and took months to replace, but remaining plywood is in place like entry corridors. Most of this seems like stuff would be a simple measure, cut, slide into frame and caulk operation. Some of the plywood is due to on-going construction. The Admirals Club (my main reason for flying AA in STL) is still a work in progress - rumor is an August completion on that.

WRCSolberg

I wonder if they're renovating it at the same time. I've been told that the damage to the AC wasn't nearly as bad as it was the rest of the terminal. Apparently, the most serious damage was part of the roof being peeled upwards in the far corner of the AC, on the other side of the bar.

ksweeney

The staff at the temporary club says that the renovation has started. They are careful to not predict a date since it's not in their control, but sometime in August appears to be the consensus. The AC in STL is one of my primary drivers for flying AA. Without that, I'd probably go back to DL.

Spiff

Last week, Concourse C featured a leaking jetbridge (think waterfall) and two clueless GAs who were letting the entire plane board via the Priority AAccess line, ala Southwest.

gemac

All true, except as pointed out several times earlier in this thread, you can't cut it on site, you can't cut it at all after it has been laminated. It has to be cut at the factory, during the manufacturing process, before it has been laminated. But other than that, absolutely correct.

ksweeney

Ah, I hadn't read backward to catch the factory related effort. I will be more patient on the glass. Regardless, the completed work looks great. As Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) put it, "Lambert is a classic".

I'm anxious to see what it looks like when the ticketing area is reworked. I know US is moving across from AA and there will be some lounge area in the center. I assume there will be some shuffling around of ticket counters with DL currently in non-contiguous counter areas, and space left by Air Tran, CO, and US movements.

JimboM1391

Lounge area? I hadn't heard that. That should be nice!

Also, you stated that US is moving across from AA. I'm guessing AA is giving up some of their space? Or are they going to take what US abandons to keep the number of positions they currently have?

ksweeney

AA is done with their ticket counter re-alignment. They are on the north side of the east end of the ticketing area. US will move to the south side of the east end - construction is currently under way for that. I've not talked to anyone from DL, but they are currently split into two separate counter areas - their main counter on the north side and the smaller counter for elite flyers and Alaska customers. I would imagine they would want to consolidate. Unfortunately for AA passengers, the cutbacks by AA have pushed them behind DL in STL departures. DL seems to need more ticket counter space.

ksweeney

Most STL AA flyers have known for some time that US Airways is coming over to join AA on the C concourse. Last night I was talking to an STL based AA flight attendant who told me that the plan is for DL to take over the A concourse. At a time when AA has reduced its presence in STL from at one time the entire B, C, and D concourses down to 4 gates today, DL is going to go from 6 gates today to 11 gates later this year. The only positive sign in this for AA customers is that AA is actively investing in rebuilding the Admirals Club. I can't picture AA getting any smaller in STL after spending that kind of money!

AAerSTL

A rumor from an AA FA about DLs plans sure sounds like a reliable source of information. DL has a decent operation as is and has added quite a bit since 2010. Recently they've retreated a bit look at DCA, RDU and several of the MSP/DTW frequencies have been cut or sent to CR9/E75 from 319/320 equipment. Everyone can keep saying DL will build a SkyClub and add all these flights to places like AMS on a 332, etc but it's just not going to happen. DL seems content with the current operation and aside from keeping 3 757s on the ATL route I can't imagine them growing much more.

hockeystl

This.

From my discussions with DL mgmt at STL, here's what I've derived over the past couple (few) months:

There will be no SC in STL anytime soon, if ever. That plan is D-E-A-D.

DL is NOT taking over all 11 gates in A. At most, it'll be 2 additional gates. The discussed plans to add NS service to LAX and/or BOS have been shelved. No additional destinations are imminent for DL out of STL at the current time. AMS NS? Haha....ya, that'll be added right after NRT

ksweeney

Adding no new destinations makes the whole move US over to AA's area look like a wasted effort since it must have required some compensation to US from DL. One key point on this is that it was planned before the tornado hit the airport, long before AA bankruptcy and long before any noise about a US/AA merger so there is no story there.

hockeystl

At the time that the US move to A was planned, DL was seriously considering adding both LAX and BOS out of STL. They also had mainline service on every flight out of STL to DTW/ATL/MSP early last year. STL was getting substantial attention from DL during this period as Hank Halter, their CFO, was personally involved in the operations of this station. The former station manager, Bob Carter, reported directly to Hank...that's how hands-on DL was at the time on STL. My understanding was Hank was also involved in arranging the DEQM promo the past couple years that all us STL-based benefited from. There was a big drive to increase market share for DL in STL and I believe that push has subsided....

The current situation is Hank is no longer with the company and, AFAIK, no other exec has taken over in the direct oversight of STL. ML service has also been cut to both DTW and MSP in the past year.

DL is still a great choice for STL-based FF'rs but the once big dreams we all had of additional NS destinations, and our own SC, have passed.