Southwest Airlines is set to begin a $25 million renovation of the baggage claim area at Lambert Airport in St. Louis. The project, which has been planned since 2018, faced delays due to airport privatization efforts and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Originally, Southwest intended to add a third baggage carousel at Terminal 2 of St. Louis Lambert International Airport. However, this plan was scrapped in favor of a scaled-down version aimed at reducing baggage congestion and improving efficiency. The St. Louis Airport Commission approved this revised plan on December 4th.
Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge explained that Southwest will fund the entire project while the city of St. Louis retains ownership of the terminal and its upgrades. The changes are expected to expedite checked baggage handling for departing passengers.