Scrutinizing KCI plan

How gratifying it was to see again in that I’m not the only person who is quite satisfied with the airport as it is (1/9, Local, “KCI plan to get scrutiny”).

We like the layout, and we don’t need more restaurants and shops and longer lines through security.

Expansion has another downside, though, that I haven’t seen mentioned. Airplanes are disastrous contributors to carbon emissions and thus to global warming. It seems insane to plan for so many more daily flights in 20 years that we’ll need more airport space. Surely by then it will be abundantly clear that we need fewer flights, not more.

Perhaps by 2028 we will only need Terminal C, and the others can be made into energy-efficient housing for airport personnel!

Karin McAdams
Prairie Village

I’d like to offer my observations as someone who uses KCI frequently.

I travel in and out of this airport virtually every week, sometimes twice per week. I travel across North America, and have become familiar with most airports in the United States and the major ones in Canada.

I’m all for improvement and making our metro area the best it can be in all regards. But, speaking from experience, I believe KCI is a great airport. The recent changes in the terminals have been nice improvements. The short-term and circle parking are great. The new economy parking is an improvement.

The major pain I experience is waiting for the red buses, to transport me from one terminal to another. Ten to 15 minutes is the norm, and I have waited as long as 30 minutes.

I’d suggest buying more buses and hiring more drivers. This would be an easy fix.

A longer term improvement, sticking with the three terminals, would be to build some sort of rail transit between the terminals. That surely would be more cost effective than starting over and would preserve much of what is awesome about KCI.

Lane M. Crosser
Lenexa

Comments

[CRD]

Amen to that! ;-)

[Lost_In_Ambivalence]

CRD

YEAH! Oh, and maybe link it to JoCo and Lawrence. But make sure the damn thing is non-smoking!

[BuddyT]

I see what you mean, I have never had to change flights at KCI as it has always been my destination. Kinda far too walk too from A to C!

[stone]

I'm speaking of the Red one that takes you from Terminat A to Terminal B or to Terminal C that comes like once every 20 minutes if your lucky. Kinda makes catching a connecting flight on a different airline a pain if you are short on time due to a, ghasp, flight delay which seems to happen virtually all the time.

But, you are correct, there are plenty of buses for the parking, hotels, etc. I just want to be able to go from Terminal A to Terminal B in a timely manner, without waiting for a bus or my parents to pick me up and drive me from one to the other. Virtually all other major airports have the flat people mover things to expedite going from area A to area B....Denver (terrible airport) and Atlanta have trains to go from one terminal to another (not necessary at KCI). LAX has buses, but the terminals happen to be much closer together if you have to change, so they are walking distance (plus, you don't ever have to deal with walking through the cold or extreme heat at LAX)

[BuddyT]

What bus you waiting for Stony? Don't all the rental cars, and parking areas provide buses to all terminals?

[stone]

how about just building a covered moving walkway to take people from one terminal to the other so they don't have to wait for the bus? That would be my only complaint with the airport

[CRD]

You want real improvement? Improve access by getting a passenger rail line from downtown KCMO to the airport.