OFFICIAL - New KCI Terminal

[MidtownCat]

Did we ever get to the bottom of the great scuff mark controversy?

[shinatoo]

Yes, floors get scuffed, then you clean them.

[KCPowercat]

I was recently in LGA and the floors were scuffed and I was disgusted. How can anyone praise that new terminal with such glaring failures of the floor?

[Sani]

We need an army of civic-minded volunteers, equipped with tennis balls on the end of broomsticks, to conquer the scuffing menace.

[gfenn11]

When I flew out last week the only place I noticed non-pristine flooring would be right alongside the baggage claim carousels, but even those were only scuffed in a few spots.... and quite expected?

[scooterj]

Just finished my first round-trip out of the new airport this past weekend.

Outbound (Thursday, late-morning): Dropped off by private shuttle, no delay or issue. I was slightly annoyed that curbside bag check wasn't available but I know that's an airline decision, not an airport decision. TSA was a breeze apart from my legs lighting up light a Christmas tree requiring me to get the extra special gropey patdown. I flew out of B42 which is about as far as you can go from the main entrance, even with checking bags + the patdown I was at my gate about 10 minutes after being dropped off. Since it went so quickly I decided to backtrack to Stockyards for a beer and some lunch. They were busy and had long waits for some items but what I ordered only took a few minutes. Returned to my gate (with a stop for a latte on the way), where despite it being a full flight I was able to sprawl out and relax for the first time at an MCI gate in many years. Loved the glass boarding tubes (unsure what the proper word is), it didn't feel like being stuck when waiting in those.

Inbound (5pm Sunday): Disembarked to find a much busier airport than it had been when I left. Despite the crowd I found plenty of open seats where I could pause to stuff my no-longer-needed coat (I had been in MSP) into my carry-on. Stopped to use the restroom, no line (unlike every restroom at MSP) and it was clean and everything functioning. Then headed straight to Baggage Claim. Along the way I decided to look for the dreaded scuff marks since I hadn't noticed any. I found two. But you know what? MSP's concourses are carpeted and that carpet had coffee/soda stains and ground in dirt. I don't know why people expect very heavily used floors to be constantly spotless. Anyway... My airline app never stopped showing "TBD" for my baggage carousel but the signage in baggage claim was clear enough that it took me only seconds to know where I needed to be. My luggage came down the ramp within 30 seconds of me reaching the carousel, so I had to text my wife and tell her not to bother with the cell phone lot. When she got to the arrivals lane the "backup" was a whole four cars and that was only because the crossing guard was letting pedestrians across. Other than one chump who finally got told to move along, everyone seemed to be honoring the "do not stop unless actively loading" rule.

One funny thing: As I was leaving baggage claim, a woman in front of me groused to her husband "I don't like how they don't have people showing you where you're supposed to go," and he replied "Yeah, they made this airport too hard to get around." And I'm thinking: (1) "To get this far you had to walk right by the very same STAFFED information desk that I did", and (2) "How in the world did you find your way to your plane at the airport you flew here from?" So many airports are far, far more sprawling and confusing, and none of them I have been to have people there to hold your hand. It's always up to you to figure out where you need to go.



Minor constructive feedback:

* The departure lobby could use some more seating and maybe a couple of counters.
* There were only two people ahead of me at the TSA line, so it was pretty annoying that the entire massive maze was set up. Most other airports have someone actively changing the configuration as needed.
* Men's restrooms need hooks at the urinals - the shelf was nice but it's too narrow for some items.
* Baggage claim area definitely needs more seating for people who are waiting for their rides or who just needs a spot to get things in or out of their bags before heading outside.

[KCPowercat]

Agree with all your feedback. Easy small stuff. That queue line is a bit silly. There is someone there to check tsa eligibility, teach them how to take down stanchions.

[GRID]

First flight into the new terminal. We were very impressed with nearly everything.

This has nothing to do with the new terminal, but we landed on the east west runway which is very rare in my experience. Interesting view of northland growth/sprawl.

Glass jetways are nice and coming into the terminal from the plane was such a pleasure compared to the old terminals even it was basically like any other airport.

The new terminal looks great and is much more spacious than pics show. Nice selection of restaurants and most seemed busy. When we pulled into our gate, nearly all the gates on the north side of the B concourse were full (Delta and Southwest). It looks like they use those first. The gates on the south side and on concourse A seemed pretty empty. I wonder how busy concourse A is. It looks like they are waiting to tear down the old terminal before really utilizing many of the gates on concourse A.

The bathrooms were great, however, they were somewhat confusing. Why are the mens rooms split into two totally separate sections? It seems like everybody goes into one side while the other is barely used. Signage is sort of confusing. Now I know that I can go both ways. I didn't use the all gender restrooms yet.

Didn't really notice any issues with the floors. Saw some scratches, but nothing really glaring was getting my attention or anything.

The connection walkway between the concourses has a neat view of the gate activity, but that corridor is kind of bland. It could have been more architecturally interesting, but all things considered, it's just a walkway.

Baggage was FAST. I mean, we stopped to use the restroom and walked through one gift shop for five minutes and by the time we got to baggage claim, the entire flight had retrieved all their bags from the carousel and our bag was literally the last one. Very fast baggage.

Lots of cars just sitting at the arrivals curb the full length of the terminal with nobody activity getting into the vehicles. This is just something I'm not used to seeing at other airports so I can see how that would bog everything down quickly during busier peak times.

Buses to rental car were great. We even missed on by seconds and another came about 1 minute later and departed shortly after picking us up. First time we have had that kind of shuttle service at KCI in years.

We plan to get to KCI a little early for our departure and hope to try some food etc, so I will post about that.

I really have no serious complaints about the new terminal so far. It's honestly nothing too exciting or memorable, I mean it feels very basic overall. But it's a nice terminal and functions pretty well and is quite an improvement.

KC now has a nice airport that people should have no issues making a connection or waiting out delays etc.

[KCPowercat]

The gender specific bathrooms are weird how they don't connect inside. The sign saying how many are available could easily be changed to point both directions and a count for.each.

Good review.grid. agree on all points. Concourse A busiest airline is American wish is close to Delta passenger count. That side by old terminal b is the ragtag side seems like. Spirit etc.

[Cratedigger]

I really have no serious complaints about the new terminal so far. It's honestly nothing too exciting or memorable, I mean it feels very basic overall. But it's a nice terminal and functions pretty well and is quite an improvement.

KC now has a nice airport that people should have no issues making a connection or waiting out delays etc.

!!!

High praise from Grid

[KCPowercat]

It's bearing fruit how much more efficient shuttle buses are when they don't have to crawl around two long curved terminals stopping every 200 feet.

It does seem a bigger economy bus would be more effective as grid stated earlier.

[scooterj]

The bathrooms were great, however, they were somewhat confusing. Why are the mens rooms split into two totally separate sections? It seems like everybody goes into one side while the other is barely used. Signage is sort of confusing. Now I know that I can go both ways. I didn't use the all gender restrooms yet.

That confused me too, I assumed they were connected but they aren't, and because of herd mentality most people were all going to the same side. I assume it's so that they can clean the restrooms without needing to shut them down completely. The airport at the other end of my recent flight didn't have split restrooms and when they were cleaning you either had to wait or walk to another concourse.

[KCPowercat]

That is for sure why they did that but typically there is also a passthrough on the inside they close off if doing cleaning. Just need to sign people to both sides (or keep it a secret and we in the know get quicker bathrooms)

[grovester]

(or keep it a secret and we in the know get quicker bathrooms)

^this is the way.

[brewcrew1000]

The Delta lounge is great. Highly recommend. I never really looked at food prices around the airport but did notice a bbq platter or something for 27 bucks. If u were flying delta and didn't have a CC that gave u free lounge access u are almost better off paying the 50 bucks to sit in the lounge for a couple hours where u can get unlimited food/drink (had bbq pork loin, pasta salad, beans, cheesy corn, broc. Cheese soup, salad and. 2 beer), more space and better wifi.

[KCPowercat]

Talked with a bunch of friends last night who had been to the airport one/two things. Their overall comments were glowing. Biggest gripes were signage into the garage (seems like drive up signage overall could be improved but maybe that's just a little learning curve everybody will get over), finding bathrooms pre-security in departures, self-pouring beer is hard to get a good beer pour.

[scooterj]

The Delta lounge is great. Highly recommend. I never really looked at food prices around the airport but did notice a bbq platter or something for 27 bucks. If u were flying delta and didn't have a CC that gave u free lounge access u are almost better off paying the 50 bucks to sit in the lounge for a couple hours where u can get unlimited food/drink (had bbq pork loin, pasta salad, beans, cheesy corn, broc. Cheese soup, salad and. 2 beer), more space and better wifi.

Under all the new rules can regular peons even get into it anymore? I didn't bother trying on last week's trip since I only had a little over an hour to kill.

I use the Alaska Lounges at SEA-TAC all the time, but after all the new restrictions that went in this year I don't think I can even use theirs anymore.

[scooterj]

self-pouring beer is hard to get a good beer pour.

Where is that? I've seen a couple of posts about it but I didn't notice anyplace with self-pouring beer.

[KCPowercat]

The Delta lounge is great. Highly recommend. I never really looked at food prices around the airport but did notice a bbq platter or something for 27 bucks. If u were flying delta and didn't have a CC that gave u free lounge access u are almost better off paying the 50 bucks to sit in the lounge for a couple hours where u can get unlimited food/drink (had bbq pork loin, pasta salad, beans, cheesy corn, broc. Cheese soup, salad and. 2 beer), more space and better wifi.

Under all the new rules can regular peons even get into it anymore? I didn't bother trying on last week's trip since I only had a little over an hour to kill.

I use the Alaska Lounges at SEA-TAC all the time, but after all the new restrictions that went in this year I don't think I can even use theirs anymore.

still can with amex platinum (or black card of course) if flying delta or their own AMEX card.

[KCPowercat]

Just picked up someone in arrivals. Couple tweaks have been made

- Arrivals highway sign now shows two arrows where I am pretty sure it used to be just one but now looking back at my drive through video I'm not sure if I saw that right.
- parking control waiving people through at the moth of the entrance.

I think they should disallow picking up at that 1st pylon (1A), even if someone is actively picking up there it can back up into the 2 lanes before it opens up into the 4 lanes in arrivals itself. They are already kinda doing this by parking a parking control car there but then right past it was a car w/o a driver. LOL.