While STL builds a third runway (SORT of increasing it's capacity by 50%), it experiences a traffic decline of 66%.
Of interest, is that the new runway is somewhat inconveineint taxi-wise being located totally west (and then some) of the terminals.
Adude777 is probably the only person that might comment on this, but it almost seems like they decided to start playing with the new runway. For about a year, it seemed like the airport was almost operating like it DIDN'T have a new runway- Oh I'm sure it did the rare landing on IMC days as it opened a little flexibility for simultneous ILS (albeit close-proximity simultaneious).
But more recently, they seem to be sending errant aircraft to land on 11- even on sunny days. I thought it might be MOSTLY A-terminal aircraft (where the taxi is not as bad), but I had an AA flight land on 11 one night. I think A-dude has even ridden a SW airline flight into 11- having to taxi an whole additional runway length to get to it's gate. Then, last Sunday, I saw them send an AA plane to 29....as it taxied out, there were about 4 departures off of 30L that turned North....I can't quite figure out why they didn't send some of those planes to 30R, although 30R is SORT OF the landing runway....I guess I can see the logic- keep 30R open for landings, and send your Southbound AA flight to 29, and it won't kill him, since he'd be number 4 behind all the other aircraft.....but still, it's a pretty short taxi from 30L to 30R, and there's sure gaps in the arrivals to sneak the northbound folks out and let the southbound AA use 30L....
I'm probably just over-thinking things- I guess it makes sense, but I also think they might just want to play with the new concrete.
It's funny- they just closed off a chunk gates claiming it would save money. I would think they might consider closing 11-20....I'm sure it costs more than my electric bill to keep the runway, two taxiways worth of blue lights, approach lights and a PAPI burning bring all night long...even on dim!
Of interest, is that the new runway is somewhat inconveineint taxi-wise being located totally west (and then some) of the terminals.
Adude777 is probably the only person that might comment on this, but it almost seems like they decided to start playing with the new runway. For about a year, it seemed like the airport was almost operating like it DIDN'T have a new runway- Oh I'm sure it did the rare landing on IMC days as it opened a little flexibility for simultneous ILS (albeit close-proximity simultaneious).
But more recently, they seem to be sending errant aircraft to land on 11- even on sunny days. I thought it might be MOSTLY A-terminal aircraft (where the taxi is not as bad), but I had an AA flight land on 11 one night. I think A-dude has even ridden a SW airline flight into 11- having to taxi an whole additional runway length to get to it's gate. Then, last Sunday, I saw them send an AA plane to 29....as it taxied out, there were about 4 departures off of 30L that turned North....I can't quite figure out why they didn't send some of those planes to 30R, although 30R is SORT OF the landing runway....I guess I can see the logic- keep 30R open for landings, and send your Southbound AA flight to 29, and it won't kill him, since he'd be number 4 behind all the other aircraft.....but still, it's a pretty short taxi from 30L to 30R, and there's sure gaps in the arrivals to sneak the northbound folks out and let the southbound AA use 30L....
I'm probably just over-thinking things- I guess it makes sense, but I also think they might just want to play with the new concrete.
It's funny- they just closed off a chunk gates claiming it would save money. I would think they might consider closing 11-20....I'm sure it costs more than my electric bill to keep the runway, two taxiways worth of blue lights, approach lights and a PAPI burning bring all night long...even on dim!
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