OFFICIAL - New KCI Terminal

[bobbyhawks]

I noticed Google Maps still has the outline of Terminal A when you zoom in. Kind of annoying, because I'm sure the aviation department got them everything they need for a detailed model of the new terminal, but I'm sure it'll get updated eventually.

Not to drag crap from other parts of the internet into here, but someone in the Kansas City subreddit posted last night about how stressful it was to pick up their husband from the arrivals drive. Apparently, cops were being quite aggressive in making people move if the person they were picking up was not already standing at the curb. Most of the replies pointed out that's exactly how most airports work, and we have to break our old habits of waiting at the curb for 20 minutes or whatever because we had more curb space than we knew what to do with before.

I was proud of how the internet responded to that thread. The OP even seemed to agree that the police response was correct and that we need to adjust away from how we were spoiled by this one thing at old MCI.

I think people forget that the police used to be way more hardcore about asking people to move and even writing tickets (post 9/11 and for years after). They seem to have tapered the once-enthusiastic enforcement over the last decade, but it sounds like the new terminal necessitates it. I remember quite a few family and friends complaining about the airport cops harassing them for waiting and even a few getting tickets for it, but I haven't heard a complaint or even seen a cop attempt to interact with waiters for years.

[Sani]

I noticed Google Maps still has the outline of Terminal A when you zoom in. Kind of annoying, because I'm sure the aviation department got them everything they need for a detailed model of the new terminal, but I'm sure it'll get updated eventually.

Not to drag crap from other parts of the internet into here, but someone in the Kansas City subreddit posted last night about how stressful it was to pick up their husband from the arrivals drive. Apparently, cops were being quite aggressive in making people move if the person they were picking up was not already standing at the curb. Most of the replies pointed out that's exactly how most airports work, and we have to break our old habits of waiting at the curb for 20 minutes or whatever because we had more curb space than we knew what to do with before.

I was proud of how the internet responded to that thread. The OP even seemed to agree that the police response was correct and that we need to adjust away from how we were spoiled by this one thing at old MCI.

I think people forget that the police used to be way more hardcore about asking people to move and even writing tickets (post 9/11 and for years after). They seem to have tapered the once-enthusiastic enforcement over the last decade, but it sounds like the new terminal necessitates it. I remember quite a few family and friends complaining about the airport cops harassing them for waiting and even a few getting tickets for it, but I haven't heard a complaint or even seen a cop attempt to interact with waiters for years.

I did have a cop yell at me to move when I was trying to pick up my wife and kids in late 2020 or early 2021, but that was the only time I've been hassled.

[TheUrbanRoo]

Cannot say enough how much fanfare the new airport is getting by local's and out of towners alike. Even a nimby friend of mine who groaned about this for years instantly loved it on the first flight they took from it. The ratio is like 99/1 in favor.

[KCPowercat]

Food hall menu online ordering

https://madeofkcfoodhall.hrpos.heartlan ... Id=1140821

Soiree .menu
https://qr1.be/JH41

[Sani]

Holy moly, those Soiree prices... I mean, I'm sure it's good food and a step up from breakfast at First Watch or a steak at Longhorn or whatever, but $25.30 for chicken and waffles? $16.10 for kids mac and cheese?

[grovester]

What's the tax markup at the airport?

[langosta]

Holy moly, those Soiree prices... I mean, I'm sure it's good food and a step up from breakfast at First Watch or a steak at Longhorn or whatever, but $25.30 for chicken and waffles? $16.10 for kids mac and cheese?

This is the most premium airport restaurant at KCI. Probably about or below what I would expect to see in other cities.

[swid]

Soiree is definitely the "I'm expensing this meal" restaurant option at the new terminal; the food hall prices look to be in line with prices at the non-airport locations of those restaurants.

The Points Guy review of the new terminal had this blurb:

Kansas City is using street-based pricing at all of its concessionaires, with most major convenience items pegged to the price of a similar item at the nearby QuikTrip gas station on Northwest Barry Road.

[KCPowercat]

yeah I remember that QT reference point during vendor discussions. Something like bottles of water can't be over 15% over that QT??

[im2kull]

Does anyone think DHS will ever revert to pre-9/11 policy and allow people through security without a boarding pass?

Pre 9/11 there wasn't any security you went through or a secured area, until you were literally boarding the plane. At each gate you went through a metal detector, your carry-on was X-rayed, and your checked luggage X-rayed when dropped off.

It'll never go back to that. DHS gets too much funding and is too ineffective. Nobody in the government wants to save you money or hassle.

[Sani]

I remember flying out of RSW in the 90s, before the new terminal was built in 2005, and they only allowed checked-in passengers past security even before 9/11 -- not for security reasons, but for space. The concourses were too crowded to let anyone pas security who wasn't flying. If you're picking up an unattended minor, though, you can go to the ticket counter for the airline and get a pass so you can meet them at the gate.

[Cratedigger]

I remember flying out of RSW in the 90s, before the new terminal was built in 2005, and they only allowed checked-in passengers past security even before 9/11 -- not for security reasons, but for space. The concourses were too crowded to let anyone pas security who wasn't flying. If you're picking up an unattended minor, though, you can go to the ticket counter for the airline and get a pass so you can meet them at the gate.

Escort passes. I've done this for some of my siblings. Relatively easy

[GRID]

I see the arrivals is already having congestion issues in the garage. I'm telling you, they need to move the rental car buses and maybe economy parking buses to a designated spot on the curb right at the terminal. That would make those buses more convenient and free up space in the garage lanes.

[Pork Chop]

I see the arrivals are already having congestion issues in the garage. I'm telling you, they need to move the rental car buses and maybe economy parking buses to a designated spot on the curb right at the terminal. That would make those buses more convenient and free up space in the garage lanes.

Much of the issue deals with people parking at the curb and waiting for people to come out. I watched a video on youtube of a person driving by arrivals (they were in the far left lane) that showed several parked cars by the curb with their emergency lights on (along with other cars without their emergency lights on).

KCI officials are letting people know to use the two right lanes to pick up people, to pick up and go, and if you need to wait, then wait in the cell phone lot. They will use more KCI police to enforce the pickup and go part.

It's a learning curve, and I am optimistic that people will learn how to pick up passengers.

[trailerkid]

I see the arrivals is already having congestion issues in the garage. I'm telling you, they need to move the rental car buses and maybe economy parking buses to a designated spot on the curb right at the terminal. That would make those buses more convenient and free up space in the garage lanes.

You should email the Deputy Director with your suggestions:
Justin.Meyer@kcmo.org

[WoodDraw]

It's absolutely a learning curve. The idea KC would switch to a completely different operating system overnight is aggressive.

I've heard overwhelming good things about it. The criticism I have heard has been outdoor signage, but the only way to get out of bad habits is to create new habits.

[Pork Chop]

I agree about the signage, and they had ample news media for the past couple of weeks where they could have made the public more aware of the changes in pickup and drop-offs.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

I see the arrivals is already having congestion issues in the garage. I'm telling you, they need to move the rental car buses and maybe economy parking buses to a designated spot on the curb right at the terminal. That would make those buses more convenient and free up space in the garage lanes.

That would likely only exacerbate the current problem.

[WoodDraw]

I swear, the default position should be that people that are doing their job are competent people.

Let's give them some time to do their job

[langosta]

I see the arrivals is already having congestion issues in the garage. I'm telling you, they need to move the rental car buses and maybe economy parking buses to a designated spot on the curb right at the terminal. That would make those buses more convenient and free up space in the garage lanes.

You should email the Deputy Director with your suggestions:
Justin.Meyer@kcmo.org

The worst pick up experiences IMHO are at airports where the bus curb is the first one.