ST. LOUIS — Flights at St. Louis Lambert International Airport by next week will decrease 3% from the start of the month, and by April 20 will decline 14%, an airport spokesman said Monday.
The expected decline come as the Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous sources, reports that major U.S. airlines are drafting plans for a potential voluntary shutdown of virtually all passenger flights across the country, roiled by the coronavirus pandemic's chilling of travel demand.
While no final decisions have been made, airlines are struggling to keep aircraft flying with minimal passengers, the report said.
Lambert's director said March 17 that one flight, to Chicago, had been cut, and that passenger traffic was down as much as 50% year over year. That figure, based on the number of local passengers only, rose to 75% to 80% last week, airport spokesman Jeff Lea said Monday. Numbers on connecting traffic aren't yet available.
"Airlines are moving to rightsize based on demand," Lea said.
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