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Has traffic for passenger pickup at KCI improved? Tell us your airport experiences

Traffic begins to backup before reaching the arrivals level pickup area at Kansas City International Airport on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Kansas City.
Traffic begins to backup before reaching the arrivals level pickup area at Kansas City International Airport on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Kansas City. nwagner@kcstar.com

When the new Kansas City International Airport terminal opened to much fanfare earlier this year, traffic congestion at the arrivals curb quickly frustrated people waiting in line to pick up loved ones.

The problem seemed to be caused by a collision between Kansas City’s old habits and the design of the new terminal.

In the days of the old KCI, low traffic volumes and lax enforcement of pickup lane rules led many Kansas Citians to idle or even park at the curb as they waited to collect a passenger. Most airports don’t allow that — and the new terminal claims not to, either. At times, the problem seemed to subside.

But over the weekend, one reader who recently picked up her sister from the airport said it’s as bad as ever.

“Cars were parked, not moving, two deep all along the Arrivals curb,” reader Jane Gilbreath of Kansas City wrote to The Star. “If the ban on curbside parking is not enforced, we still have a cowboy airport where anything goes.”

To find out more about how the arrivals curb is working for other travelers, The Star is asking readers to send in your observations.

What have you seen at the arrivals curb at KCI? Is idling and parking still a problem? Are there enough employees on hand to keep traffic moving? Have you had to wait in traffic?

We want to hear about what you’ve experienced. Send email to the service journalism team kcq@kcstar.com or fill out the form below.

Do you have more questions about navigating Kansas City? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.

Natalie Wallington
The Kansas City Star
Natalie Wallington was a reporter on The Star’s service journalism team with a focus on policy, labor, sustainability and local utilities from fall 2021 until early 2025. Her coverage of the region’s recycling system won a 2024 Feature Writing award from the Kansas Press Association.
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