Bathroom Facilities available at MCI

[dmure]

I will be flying out of Kansas City International Airport in Missouri. I want to ask a silly question of anyone who has flown out of this airport recently. Do they have a bathroom after you pass thru security? I read that they don't but cant imagine that to be true. If it is true and you do have to go to bathroom before your flight what do you do?

 

[safetymom]

Every airport I have ever flown through has a bathroom after you clear security. I would be surprised if MCI didn't have their airport set up that way.

 

[Aunt Cawa]

Long time flyer in and out of MCI. They do not have bathrooms once you pass through security. The design of MCI is individual gates in a long row. Back in the 70's and 80's it was a great idea because it put the gates near bag pick-up and the parking. Now however there is security at each gate or in some instances (Midwest Express) a group of gates. All bathrooms, restaurants and stores are outside the gates. Inside the gates are only the waiting and boarding areas. We usually wait in the terminal (DH is a smoker and can only smoke outside) until about 1/2hr before boarding. We do keep a watch on how the lines are doing and if it gets crowded we will go in earlier.
HTH

 

[safetymom]

Wow, I'll have to make sure never to visit that airport.

 

[ducklite]

Newark doesn't have bathrooms after security in terminal B. That might have changed, as this was a year or so ago due to construction, but until I hear differently from someone who flew out of there more recently, I'll consider it a potty free zone...

Anne

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by ducklite
Newark doesn't have bathrooms after security in terminal B. That might have changed, as this was a year or so ago due to construction, but until I hear differently from someone who flew out of there more recently, I'll consider it a potty free zone...

Anne

I'm not familar with Newark, I am flying Continental to Cancun next month. I think they are in terminal C. Do you know if they have any bathrooms past security?

 

[ducklite]

Terminal C has plenty of bathrooms as well as food of a variety of types.

Anne

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by safetymom
Every airport I have ever flown through has a bathroom after you clear security. I would be surprised if MCI didn't have their airport set up that way.

LOL, then you missed the old SWA gate at BDL. Pass security and no bathrooms. Thank goodness that has changed.

 

[Costumesaremylife]

Sorry, this made me laugh. In Massachusetts all the prisons start out with the initials MCI. It stands for Massachusetts Correctional Institute. Then it's followed by the city they are located in such as, MCI Concord, MCI Framingham. So when I read it I thought you needed to go to the bathroom in prison.

 

[Escapecar]

When you're sitting in the SWA gates at MCI, trying to decide if you should give up a good spot in the B line and maybe get stuck in a long security line, or risking a bladder explosion, it feels a little like prision.

 

[dmure]

Okay since we have established there is not a bathroom after you go thru security ,what do you do if you have passed security and you have to go to the bathroom. Will they let you out of gate and then back in or not? I have to arrive at airport 2 hours early to try to obtain an A boarding pass .Not sure how soon I should go to line up at gate? Any suggestions. I have a very small bladder and the excitement of the trip only makes it worse.

 

[Escapecar]

You can go in and out of the gate area as often as you want, you'll just have to go back through the metal detector/wanding process each time. If there's no line, this isn't a big deal. However, if you have carryon luggage, and no one to watch it while you leave the secure area, that would add to the hassle.

The restrooms are just across the hall from the secured areas, so it's not like you have to hike a long way.

If you get there early enough for an A pass, I generally wouldn't be too concerned about lining up early to board. Unless your flight is one of the few flights that connect through MCI, you'll be one of the first 30-40 people on an empty plane, and good seats will be available. (If you poke around on the SWA website, you can figure out if your flight originates somewhere else. If it does, then being first among the "A"s might be worthwhile.)

SWA starts boarding about 20 minutes before the departure time, if I remember it right. I would try and be inside the secure area "for good" about 40 minutes before the departure time.

 

[dmure]

Thank you so much for your responses. I have 3 kids over the age of 12 flying with me and we would all like to be able to sit close together. That is why we plan to arrive early and want to get thru security as soon as possible. What I can do now is have us all go thru security and then if my bladder calls me into action I can just leave them with my bags ,run to bathroom and head back thru security as long as I have my boarding docs and drivers license with me. Thanks a million