A discussion about the airline industry, airline employees, and all things related

Will the largest metropolitan area without regularly scheduled direct flights to Europe get service once the Open Skies agreement takes place?  

Since American Airlines canceled service in 2003 between the city that has Charles Lindbergh's original personal monocoupe hanging in the Main Terminal, and London, St. Louis has been without direct European service.   

"Open Skies will certainly be an opportunity for airports like Lambert.  The playbooks have been rewritten, and I don't think it will take as much to convince an air carrier to operate nonstop from St. Louis to Europe," said Brian Kinsey, the airport's business and marketing manager.

It is unlikely that American, the largest carrier in St. Louis, would restart service from St. Louis to London.  However, Northwest Airlines which partners with KLM, will begin service from 16 US cities this year.  Many of those new cities are medium sized cities such as Portland, Oregon; and Hartford, Connecticut. 

Direct flights to Europe can bring in as much as $90 million a year according to a study done by Denver International Airport.  So many cities and airports really want European service.  

St. Louis Post Dispatch