Reno losing TWA flight to St. Louis

Friday, Oct. 1, 1999 | 10:21 a.m.

St. Louis is TWA's hub, a key jumping off point for much of the East and Midwest. Airline officials said they are losing money flying in and out of Reno.

The news on TWA follows word in August of three other carriers reducing service to Portland, Seattle, Detroit and Orange County, Calif.

Reno has lower fares because it primarily attracts leisure travelers who pay less for tickets than travelers to major business centers, airport officials said.

Krys Bart, executive director of the Airport Authority of Washoe County, and two other officials visited TWA in St. Louis on Tuesday to present information on northern Nevada's business and tourism economy to try to persuade the carrier to remain in Reno.

"I am very concerned that if they only have one flight remaining, they will pull out," Bart said. "The overhead for one flight is not worth it."

TWA began the Reno-St. Louis flights on Oct. 1, 1995.

TWA service out of St. Louis plays a big role in shuttling bowlers to Reno for major tournaments and skiers from the East and Europe to Lake Tahoe.

Reno officials reminded TWA of the Women's International Bowling Congress next spring and of increasing skier traffic to Tahoe, and reported on major businesses here or moving here.

While TWA enjoys good loads in Reno, it's making 7.9 cents per seat mile against expenses of 9.6 cents per mile, Bart said.