Monster Storm "Nemo" Altering Flight Plans at Spirit of St. Louis

The large winter storm bearing down on the Northeast is altering travel plans for flyers across the country, including at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield.

“Certainly when airports shut down in the Northeast it does affect everyone in aviation,” said John Bales, the airport’s Director of Aviation.

A report from NBC News said almost 3,000 flights have already been scrapped for Friday and more than 1,000 for Saturday as the area prepares for what could be a historic blizzard. Locally, it has also caused disruptions at Lambert International with canceled arrivals and departures.

Unlike Lambert International, the Chesterfield facility services only private business or charter flights. Bales said this allows them greater flexibility in changing flight plans than their commercial carrier counterparts.

With the storm threatening to blanket the East Coast in snow, many people scheduled to fly back to St. Louis this weekend were able to simply move the flights up and leave early, Bales said.

Such events are also less disruptive to Spirit of St. Louis’ bottom line than commercial airports. Bales said the St. Louis County-owned enterprise is self-sufficient and funds its operations primarily through fuel sales and leasing real estate space such as hangers, allowing them to weather canceled or delayed flights more easily.