St. Louis’ international comeback

St. Louis is rebuilding its international air connections — one flight at a time.

Icelandair's new nonstop service to Reykjavik gives Lambert Airport its third European destination, joining Lufthansa's Frankfurt route and British Airways' London service, which recently announced an 80% capacity increase. The momentum raises a big question: is St. Louis on its way back to the international standing it enjoyed under TWA?

In this episode, Jacob Kirn sits down with Kevin O'Malley, former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland and chair of the St. Louis County Port Authority, the agency that has helped fund and negotiate these new international routes. They discuss how the Icelandair deal came together, the airline's interline agreement with Southwest, why load factors have exceeded expectations, how the Port Authority's casino lease payments subsidize air service, and what comes next — from potential Canadian service to the multi-billion-dollar airport redevelopment.

SHOW LINKS:

Icelandair to debut Lambert–Reykjavik serviceBritish Airways expands St. Louis–London flightsA Canadian city flight from St. Louis may be possibleLambert stays near bottom in passenger satisfaction

Sponsored by:

Maryville University — one of the fastest-growing private universities in the U.S., offering 90+ degrees on campus and online.Cass Commercial Bank — business banking serving privately held companies, nonprofits, and institutions since 1906.