Keys to the Future

I recently presented keys to the City of St. Louis to Barry Beracha, Aloys Litteken, Allen Sherman, and Julian Sheerherman for working with me as volunteers for the past year and a half to improve Lambert Airport’s ambience and economics.

Barry and his team understood from the very beginning of their service that Lambert is one of the region’s most important marketing tools - as transportation center and as a front door. Being able to get from here to other points of business is often a deal maker-or-breaker for a national company looking for a new market or headquarters. And, what travelers see and do as they arrive and depart can color their sense of St. Louis.

Because members of the team spent time talking to the local business community about the flights they actually needed and planned to use, Lambert’s airlines were able to make rational and fiscally sound decisions about adding and scheduling new flights - and they did. Flights are up.

And new windows and carpet, new paint, more retail, and better parking are combining to improve "passenger experience" at Lambert.

I believe that the most successful airports over the next decade will be those ready and well-managed enough to accommodate the growth in point-to-point flying. Thanks to Barry and his team, Lambert is more likely to be one of those successful airports.

Airport director Kevin Dolliole and I appreciate the team’s service. (And, if you see four guys with big keys trying doors in the City, thank them, too.)