KCI Ranks 1st in Mid-Size Airport Survey by JD Power and Associates (Kansas City: apartment, hotel)

[sparksharp]

I think KCI is a screwy airport. My daughter flew in last weekend to visit and she said the same thing. She is pretty well traveled too...and she thought the airport sucked with it's layout.

[Okey Dokie]

Originally Posted by Samantha S

Agreed. And one of the things that will make those "burgeoning suburban developments in Platte/Clay counties" less valuable than similar subdivisions further South will be that they have the constant sound of the airport!

I lived for 20 years at approx. 100th and N. Oak directly on the glide path for the east-west runway. I rarely noticed any airport noise after living there a couple weeks - it's kind of like living near a railroad. In addition, there are very few commercial flights after 10:30 p.m. There are large areas around the glide paths where residential development is prohibited.

It's my opinion that "airport noise" is a non-issue in Kansas City. Now, Chicago Midway, that's another story.....

[RjRobb2]

Originally Posted by Okey Dokie

I lived for 20 years at approx. 100th and N. Oak directly on the glide path for the east-west runway. I rarely noticed any airport noise after living there a couple weeks - it's kind of like living near a railroad. In addition, there are very few commercial flights after 10:30 p.m. There are large areas around the glide paths where residential development is prohibited.

It's my opinion that "airport noise" is a non-issue in Kansas City. Now, Chicago Midway, that's another story.....

Right but it is only not an issue because it is so far out. If you lived within 5 miles of the airport, it would probably be an issue for you. It's kind of like I live 10 miles from the railroad tracks now and I can hear them but it isnt an issue. However, if they were in my backyard it would suck.

[RjRobb2]

Originally Posted by sparksharp

I think KCI is a screwy airport. My daughter flew in last weekend to visit and she said the same thing. She is pretty well traveled too...and she thought the airport sucked with it's layout.

Why would she say that if she was just coming in? I can understand saying that if she had to switch flights. She probably had her luggage and was in your car within 10 minutes. You cannot say that about any other airport.

I can literally be at my home with my shoes off on my couch within 30 minute of landing at KCI. I do not think there is another airport that people can say that about. Most airports I go to, I do not even have my luggage within 30 minutes of landing.

[cp1969]

Originally Posted by Okey Dokie

I lived for 20 years at approx. 100th and N. Oak directly on the glide path for the east-west runway. I rarely noticed any airport noise after living there a couple weeks - it's kind of like living near a railroad. In addition, there are very few commercial flights after 10:30 p.m. There are large areas around the glide paths where residential development is prohibited.

It's my opinion that "airport noise" is a non-issue in Kansas City. Now, Chicago Midway, that's another story.....

Yes, it is. Having lived a couple blocks west of 63rd and Central, I can attest to that, but it was only really bad when departures were using Runway 22. The rest of the time, it wasn't bad at all. It sure would have been much quieter if it was 50 miles away, though.

I think I'll start using Oklahoma City's airport. It's so quiet from my house, and the 360 mile drive is nothing. I only need to leave the house an extra six hours early instead of one when going to KCI.

[kcmo]

KCI blows, it's dark, it's old, it's dated, there are no services and nonstop flights to the big coastal cities are far and few between because most of the flights out of KCI are either to hub cities like Chicago and Dallas or short flights via low cost airlines like Southwest. You can get just about anywhere from KCI, but outside the midwest, you are very limited in the number of flights, times and destinations.

The airport is terrible for people that don’t live in KC and don’t have the luxury of being dropped off 30 minutes for a flight. If you have to spend more than 30 minutes at KCI or god forbid have to change airplanes (or even worse, switch terminals), the airport is probably the worst airport in the country.

I also think the “conveniences” of KCI are drastically overrated. People think it’s the easiest airport to use, when it’s about average. Waits for security are about average. Parking is about average. The problem is once you go through security you are stuck and even before you go through security, there is almost no place to grab a bite to eat or even buy a newspaper.

I don’t know why KC people love KCI so much. I’m a frequent flyer and have been to almost every airport and now use BWI as my primary home airport and I still think KCI is one of the worst airports in the country, especially for a smaller airport (most of which don’t have long security waits anyway). I have overheard more negative comments from people trying to connect through KCI than I can count. People hate KCI. But since KC people love it, it will never be upgraded and the airport will never reach its potential. KCI is “ok”, but it’s not “all that” and I think it’s one of the things that keeps KC’s corporate community from growing. KCI with 3 un-congested runways, plenty of parking and plenty of space could rival DIA in Denver as a major airport between the coasts, but with its current terminal setup, it will continue to be a regional airport with a handful of flights to the coasts.

Having said all that, the location of KCI is absolutely fine. It’s not 25 miles from anything. It’s right on the edge of the Northland and the 350,000 people that live there. It’s 15-20 minutes from Downtown. It’s 30 minutes most of midtown or the plaza. It’s 15 minutes from KCK. It’s only 40 minutes from most of JoCo, Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs and it’s under an hour from the far south suburbs. The way the runaways are set up, you just never fly over anything and probably never will. The flight patterns for KCI don’t go over the Northland, most go over Smithville, Platte City, Bonner Springs and Leavenworth. If you are lucky, you will fly over the Metro North Mall and Liberty area if landing on the east west runway (rare). So the location of KCI is fine.

But KC really needs to think about building some sort of real terminal for KCI to ever become a more efficient and more popular airport for airlines and business travelers and ultimately a better airport for the KC economy.

[Okey Dokie]

Originally Posted by cp1969

I think I'll start using Oklahoma City's airport. It's so quiet from my house, and the 360 mile drive is nothing. I only need to leave the house an extra six hours early instead of one when going to KCI.

Be careful what you wish for.....if you're flying out of OKC to somewhere that Southwest doesn't fly to you will pay an arm and a leg to get there not to mention having to be at the airport for your 6 a.m. flight to connect in Dallas or Chicago. And if your return flight arrives later than about 7 p.m. forget about getting something to eat since the three restaurants are closed by then.

[RjRobb2]

KCMO - I'm sorry but you are in the minority. I have never really heard a bad thing about KCI from people from other places. I hear nothing but complements from people and it wins survey awards like this all the time. If the airport truly blew, it wouldnt win any awards like this.

KCI is by far the easiest airport I've ever had to use. Chicago, Dallas, Albuquerque, Denver, Miami, DC, and others are a complete nightmare.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by RjRobb2

KCMO - I'm sorry but you are in the minority. I have never really heard a bad thing about KCI from people from other places. I hear nothing but complements from people and it wins survey awards like this all the time. If the airport truly blew, it wouldnt win any awards like this.

KCI is by far the easiest airport I've ever had to use. Chicago, Dallas, Albuquerque, Denver, Miami, DC, and others are a complete nightmare.

So is Wichita's airport. Want a major aiport, you will have to put up with a little more, You can fly any place, any time of day from Denver, Chicago or Dallas.

The royals are the easiest stadium to get in and out of too. Because nobody goes to the games...

KCI does not have to be like Chicago or Dallas, you can build a terminal at KCI and still maintain all the things that make KCI great (few delays, great parking etc) because KCI will probably never move 40 million people through the airport everyday like Dallas, Denver or Chicago.

Just make it a "better" airport by building an actual terminal and get passengers up from about 10 million to about 14-16 million and it would be a fantastic airport. Too bad people in KC are so caught up with only having to walk 70 feet. KC people could probably use the excersise

[OneKC]

Most airports are far away from the city center. Its a noise issue and a safety issue.

The big issue is that we need some sort of effective mass transit to the airport. Other than that, I think KCI is fine.