St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay is in England making a pitch for direct flights between London and Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.

He and Brian Kinsey, the airport’s assistant director of marketing and business development, are meeting with British Airways in hopes of restarting the flights that disappeared with Trans World Airlines more than a decade ago. American Airlines ceased its hub operations here through a series of cuts after absorbing the bankrupt airline in 2001.

Slay flew to London on Friday and will be there about a week, said Maggie Crane, his spokeswoman.

“The time has never been better for him to renew the pitch for an international flight, and London makes a lot of sense,” she said.