Passenger Terminal Today Magazine - January 2022
From all-gender restrooms to service-animal relief areas, the new terminal at Kansas City – set to open in 2023 – has been designed with a more inclusive and accessible future in mind
It’s not often that an airport operator gets the chance to rebuild from scratch, but then there are not many airports like Missouri’s Kansas City, in the US Midwest.
The original airport terminals couldn’t have been worse suited to present-day flying, which is why the Kansas City Aviation Department decided on a complete replacement rather than the refurbishment and extension that are appropriate in so many other circumstances. Having made this decision, the department has worked hard to create an airport that will accommodate and welcome all of today’s and tomorrow’s passengers.
Justin Meyer, deputy director of aviation – marketing and air service development at the Kansas City Aviation Department, comments, “Many of us say that we don’t have a chance of doing a complete reset very often. The city council told us to build the most accessible new terminal in the world. That was a strong challenge and goal. We have expanded it to be not only accessible but also inclusive.”
The result is a terminal that should be easy and pleasurable for everyone to use. The team has looked at everything from navigation to nervous flyers, and toilets to play areas.
