One more nail in the coffin for St Louis cargo hub

CHINA has pulled out of the controversial ‘aerotropolis’ at St Louis (US). Only three weekly flights had been launched but less than six months later and Air China Cargo was frozen scheduled services to the US city.

The plan’s backers heralded it as a major international air cargo hub between China and the US, with non-stop flights from Lambert Airport to Shanghai (China). It had massive support from local political leaders, but faced heavy criticism from experts in the industry.

Airfreight consultant, Michael Webber (pictured), said the plan was “insane” and described it as “a white elephant” and “boondoggle”. He also slated the US$360 million in tax credits allocated to the project, which he says were to be offset by cutting tax breaks for elderly and low-income disabled people in the region.

Those tax credits were withheld late last year and it seems this is the main cause for China growing cold to the plan.

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