ST. LOUIS — Cape Air ended its service at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, effective Tuesday, part of a change in federal subsidies.
Based in Hyannis, Massachusetts, Cape Air has been flying from Lambert to Kirksville, Missouri (three times daily); Marion, Illinois (two times daily); and Owensboro, Kentucky (one time daily), Lambert officials said. The last flights were Monday.
The flights had been subsidized by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Essential Air Service program, which costs $394 million annually and was put in place amid airline deregulation to ensure small communities continued to get some air service. It's awarded with four-year contracts to airlines.
Contour Airlines won Essential Air Service from Kirksville, Marion and Owensboro, Lambert said. But the destination won't be St. Louis.
It will fly once daily from Kirksville to Chicago O'Hare International Airport, two times daily from Marion to Chicago and two times daily from Owensboro to Chicago.
