OFFICIAL - New KCI Terminal

[im2kull]

In the defense of the current terminals, Mark VanLoh during his tenure did little if anything to truly maintain or improve the current design. He was determined to sell a new terminal, and he absolutely did (given in a sleazy way)..

Exactly. Not only that, but the terminals right now are being purposely mismanaged and have been for years to help sell the new terminal. It's not rocket science ya'll. Don't act surprised.

[normalthings]

In the defense of the current terminals, Mark VanLoh during his tenure did little if anything to truly maintain or improve the current design. He was determined to sell a new terminal, and he absolutely did (given in a sleazy way)..

Exactly. Not only that, but the terminals right now are being purposely mismanaged and have been for years to help sell the new terminal. It's not rocket science ya'll. Don't act surprised.

This isn't true.

1. An easy example is the millions spent on terminal C renovation in 2017.

2. There isn't anything that can be done to improve the current design without a major capital program requiring airline approval. A renovation would not be able to fix many of the issues at the current terminal but would cost similar or greater than new build. It also wouldn't have lasted long.The airlines were at one point wanting a renovation but after evaluating and number crunching went with a new terminal.

3. Other mid-sized airports across the US have nicer terminals than KC but are also getting or recently got replacements. STL, New Orleans,IND etc are/were nicer than the current KCI and are about to be/recently were replaced with new terminals.

[KCPowercat]

The only surprising part here is anybody ever thought they were good.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

The only surprising part here is anybody ever thought they were good.

Prior to 9/11 they definitely were better

[WoodDraw]

There’s no accounting for taste, but I thought they were shit before 9/11 too.

There used to be a time where people would go through security multiple times to use the bathroom or grab food, especially if your flight was delayed.

“We have a restaurant and bathrooms behind security “ was like a real thing they were proud of.

[KCPowercat]

It was definitely as bad if not worse before 9/11. Remember that was before the 2000s renovation Security didn't start in 2001

[Anthony_Hugo98]

Justin Meyer hinting at a possible Escape Lounges (Amex Centurion Partner) as one of the lounges in the new terminal, per his response to Jason Grills tweet about it!

https://twitter.com/jasongrill/status/1 ... stgRlVAgjw

[KCPowercat]

Would be amazing and much better than those *club at XXX" priority pass places

[Anthony_Hugo98]

Would be amazing and much better than those *club at XXX" priority pass places

I’ve definitely had mixed experience at priority pass subsidiaries. Some are solid, but an awful lot leave an underwhelming impression. Here’s hoping they don’t go too generic

[dev49]

Would be amazing and much better than those *club at XXX" priority pass places

I’ve definitely had mixed experience at priority pass subsidiaries. Some are solid, but an awful lot leave an underwhelming impression. Here’s hoping they don’t go too generic

I’d rather it be priority pass even if it’s the club. Those are fine. Def could be worse.

[WoodDraw]

More people have priority pass than American Express. I like options for everyone, but I know we have limited lounge space here.

I’d prefer the escape lounge, but at least we’ll have one people can pay into.

[SiouxCity KCMO Man]

Post on Twitter said that SWA told someone that the new terminal will open Feb. 28. That's a few days sooner than what had originally been stated. You have to wonder if the new open date gets earlier and earlier as more of the new terminal is completed. Apparently not much is being fixed at the current terminals now, which is understood. The excitement is understated from this poster!

[Highlander]

The only surprising part here is anybody ever thought they were good.

There was a lot of good press about KCI through the years and, remarkably, KCI was ranked the best mid sized airport in the US in 2010 by JD Power. That probably delayed the inevitable by a few years and made the new terminal a harder sell. I was always a little dubious of that rating. I went overseas in the 90's and was flying my family back and forth to KC for a decade always hating the KCI departure more than any other part of the trip. We always arrived relatively early at the airport for an overseas flight and the gate, security and services situation was not conducive to flying with a family. It was obvious even then that the narrow terminals would never be salvageable and there was no point wasting money on renovations.

[FangKC]

Glimpses of the new Kansas City airport make visiting current terminals a chore

https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11 ... s-a-chore/

[TheUrbanRoo]

I remeber even when I was like 5 or 6 years old, I used to ask my parents "why does our airport have nowhere to get food or walk around like the others?"

It was clear as night & day even to a 5 year old that our airport was just...different.

[FangKC]

When I lived in NYC, I recall several times when my plane departure time was delayed my family and I would leave the terminal and go to eat over on Barry Road and then come back.

[im2kull]

I remeber even when I was like 5 or 6 years old, I used to ask my parents "why does our airport have nowhere to get food or walk around like the others?"

Because the point was convenience in traveling. Not convenience in unnecessarily sitting and waiting at an airport. It's on you if you're there hours and hours early for no reason.

When I lived in NYC, I recall several times when my plane departure time was delayed my family and I would leave the terminal and go to eat over on Barry Road and then come back.

Good luck doing this in any other airport terminal. The entire selling point of MCI was that you DON'T have to be to a terminal that much earlier than your flight.If you're arriving three hours early for your flight to MSP, then you should probably have just driven to MSP as you'd be in and out in the same amount of time as flying.

[KCPowercat]

kull. It's over, you don't have to die on the "KCI terminals were good" hill.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

I don’t think it’s that they were good, it’s that they 100% served the purpose for which they were designed. The desires, and requirements of flying have changed what was needed in terminals, hence the redesign. I mean considering even TWA wanted them changed only a few years after they were completed showed how quickly desires changed. The Drive to your gate model was doomed from the start, but it absolutely delivered on that convenience factor even until now.

[KCPowercat]

if convenience is narrowly defined as steps from curb to gate which even that "convenience" went away years ago as gates consolidated.