hockeystl

There are now restrooms inside security (at least at the WN gates where I was) but there is virtually no space to walk when full flights are going out. It's among the most cramped gate areas I've ever experienced.

Additionally, the smurfs don't run security which I found to be very strange. I thought TSA was critical to our safety. Hmmm, I guess not.

Ocn Vw 1K

This would be a good time for this thread to be featured in our specific Travel forum devoted to the Midwest. Please follow it there. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

MrMan

Add as a Pro its in the Wright Amendment range to DAL

sjclynn

This one totally brought me up short. In the early 80's, MCI was my home airport and TWA my home airline. For a couple of years I was probably on that route at least once or twice a week. At that time the MCI<->STL frequency was hourly both in the morning and the afternoon. There were even L-1011s on the route. Returning from STL on a good flight was 27 minutes from power on to exiting the runway with no turns. Straight out departure westbound from STL with a straight in landing from the east into MCI.

Like many airports, MCI has been changed in many ways since it was designed. The infield parking garages were originally just flat short term parking lots. The long term parking was like $2.00/day and the gate areas didn't have to accommodate all the security that is required now. Going from the gate to the bathroom, or for a snack, didn't require leaving the secure area. As I recall, Braniff occupied all of terminal A, TWA all of B and everyone else was in C.

As Archie Bunker would say, "Those were the days..."

txp

Has the design of the airport changed since the 2005 posts? For instance, is it now possible to connect between the A, B, and C gates airside? How about access to restaurants, lounges, & restrooms after the security checkpoint?

The KCI website provides no terminal map and no information...

Thanks!

tony732

Not much has changed since '05. You still have to exit the secured areas, then hop on a bus to connect between each terminal. In terms of restaurants, there are none beyond the checkpoints. Some secured areas have kiosks for drinks and food items, but your options are rather limited (and the prices are outrageous!). There are restrooms available beyond security.

knope2001

There is better food within the main Southwest gate complex, though it's still a lot more limited than most airports. Most other airline gate complexes have kiosk / grab & go spots beyond security. Generally very Spartan compared to most similar airports because it is so decentralized and segmented.

You can actually walk between terminals outside if you choose. Each is a "C" shape and they are arranged like the three leaves of a clover. The place where the three leaves come together near the stem are actually pretty close. To walk from terminal to terminals, walk out either end of the terminal and you'll find the sidewalk goes down a ramp to a lower-level roadway. There's a sidewalk along that roadway that connects the terminals....when you get to the sidewalk from one terminal you can already see the sign for the next one a fairly short walk away. If you want to envision how this is laid out and where this is, look at the terminal diagram at this link. The roadways they show are the upper ones, but the lower roadway I'm talking about is the brown one connecting those "E" lots.

http://www.flykci.com/Parking/Parkin...dex.htm#circle

Now remember those terminals are long walks themselves, so if you're wanting to walk from C76 to B39, there's a lot of walking you'll do in each of those terminals just to get to the end where you can walk to the next terminal. I've walked briskly from the middle of one terminal to the middle of the next terminal in less than ten minutes. As mentioned earlier, you can always take the shuttle bus from terminal to terminal (I think it's the red one) but if you prefer to walk it's very doable.

Sweet Willie

for as good as BBQ is in Kansas City, sadly no. I'm surprised that Oklahoma Joe's or one of the other great BBQs do not open a branch at MCI.

I'm guessing part of the reason is the pain of nothing post security listed in prior posts.

Your dining options can be found: http://www.flykci.com/AirportService...ices/Index.htm
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ubernostrum

You can't move between terminals airside. But also shouldn't need to -- you'd have to be not just switching airlines but switching between airlines that aren't even in the same alliance to have to connect across terminals. Current layout is:

* Terminal A: Star Alliance carriers. US Airways, United, Air Canada (AC has only one flight daily, though, operating out of gate 25 in the United area).

* Terminal B: AirTran/Southwest, Alaska Airlines, Delta.

* Terminal C: American, Frontier. Sign also says "international arrivals", but aside from seasonal flights to Mexico there are none (since the Air Canada flight coming in from Toronto preclears there and lands as domestic).

There is food available inside security. How good it is depends on terminal and gate area you're in. But the food outside security isn't that great either. MCI is not really an airport you book a long connection in or show up super early to.

bhunt

Sound like they finally approving New Single Terminal.

While as a United Elite. I will miss my 10 minute parking garage to gate. Now will be in the cattle pens with all the SW passengers.

kstateinALB

I'm more excited to have Pre-Check and know that my gate has a pre-check line. Looking at you, gates 50 and 52 for Delta/Alaska flights.

mark99

Here is the problem, I wait in parking lot called cell lot off Paris, when I get a call that my part arrived and is on curb, I go pick up with a pole number. Now. kc folks that are brain dead camp out at curb. My party has to run between cars to be picked up. I hate everything about this. There should have been also pickup islands on second lane with crosswalks to make it faster since kc is brain dead. Design for brain dead people and no enforcement. This is a huge design deficiency. I am an engineer, so I noticed most if not all had Johnson County plates. Figures… they don’t follow rules. So you have to design for it. There’s lots of lanes, design second lane arrival pickup. Just loose a lane for islands and 3rd lane for drive up. Speed limit 10mph and enforce it! Slow the morons down! Thanks Mark


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