MidAmerica comes up with new deal to keep airport alive against all odds

MIDAMERICA St Louis Airport, on the Illinois side of the Mississippi opposite St Louis, Missouri, said it will name its new airline partner following an announcement from new tenant North Bay Produce of its planned opening of a US$5.7 million distribution centre covering 3,386 square-metres.

The airport has struggled to maintain the competitive edge since it opened end of 1997 against neighbouring rival Lambert-St Louis International Airport, said the St Louis Post-Dispatch. It lost Pan American Airways commercial services over a decade ago and Great Plains Airlines shut down in January 2004 followed by its most recent exit, and longest tenant, Allegiant Air in January 2009.

For both airports, international cargo has lagged with Lambert relying heavily on a future as China's Midwest air cargo hub to save it from its drowning debts following steep decline in both passenger and cargo volumes. Despite the county's failure to win tax concessions and subsidies for air freighting flowers from Columbia.

It is uncertain what has become of MidAmerica's progress on the cargo facility to be built on 26.4 acres of land reduced by a million dollars from $3 million due to a faltering economy. MidAmerica was able to garner $550 million in "conduit" bonds for a start-up Strategic Air Cargo to entice international cargo flights.