The St. Louis Regional Freightway welcomed leaders from five of the region’s busiest airports on Nov. 13 for the 2025 Take Flight Forum, where airport directors shared significant operational achievements, economic impacts and major capital investments shaping the region’s aviation landscape. Their insights highlighted a unified, collaborative regional ecosystem experiencing growth and preparing for continued expansion.
Mary Lamie, Executive Vice President of Multimodal Enterprises for Bi-State Development, opened the panel by noting that the region’s aviation sector plays an increasingly critical role in economic development. “Today’s panel discussions will serve as a powerful reminder of how deeply the aviation sector drives our regional economy,” said Lamie, who also leads the St. Louis Regional Freightway and its Aerospace and Aviation Task Force.
St. Louis Lambert International Airport Director Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge discussed the airport’s recent passenger and cargo momentum, as well as the economic importance of new and expanding international service. She highlighted the new London route British Airways is launching in April and the expansion of Lufthansa’s service to Frankfurt from three days a week to five. “The London route is something we’ve been chasing for over a decade, so we’re really excited about that,” Hamm-Niebruegge said. She also discussed growth in cargo movement through her airport, noting she has seen cargo expanding from just 2% of the total market five years ago to 4% today.
