Airport Issue More Complicated Than A, B and C

A reputation as one of the most convenient airports to use—even if not one packed with all the retail bells and whistles—has endeared the current three-terminal structure at Kansas City International Airport to residents here, and to frequent visitors.

But times change. Increased security measures since 2001, along with a steady decline in the number of airlines nationwide, have altered the usage profile of KCI. So has an expanded role in air fr-eight, as the evolution of the nearby KCI BusinessCentre has ably demonstrated.

Now, the community is engaged in a kind of soul- searching. On one side are proponents of a single-terminal plan that could require demolition of one or more existing terminals that underwent a $258 million makeover less than a decade ago. On the other are those who believe that the airport’s reputation for convenience will be sacrificed with the new design.

A key issue for both is the potential cost involved: The proposed plan has at least a $1 billion price tag, but roughly half of that represents money that would have
to be on additional upgrades that are still required.

Mayor Sly James has appointed two dozen people to an advisory panel, hoping to find some common ground between the two views. An early suggestion was replacement of the middle Terminal B, creating the single-terminal entry point using new links to access Terminals A and C.

That won’t fly; regardless of what happens from here on out, reduced usage has prompted the city to slate Terminal A for closure later this year.

It remains to be seen whether B and C are long for the aviation world, as well. What can be expected, however, is that Kansas City International intends to retain the most user-friendly status of any airport in the nation.