New Airport

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I’m not sure that is something unique to the old airport.

I have gone from my car to gate in 15 minutes at Atlanta. Park in the hourly lot, check a bag with the skycap, go through security, and sit at my T concourse gate. Add another 10 minutes if your gate is as far as E.

I’ve done the same parking at the International terminal and getting to the SkyClub in F.

Bigger/newer airports can be efficient too.

With other airports such as you're talking about security is like a "what will it be like" today but with KCI it was never a guess really. You always knew you'd get through quickly. Even faster when TSA went to just asking for your boarding pass (as opposed to also your ID) as they had been doing of late.

I'm checking Atlanta's security wait time, for example from 5-6am today the average wait time for just the security portion was 30mins (which was right around the highest today). That just didn't happen at KCI.

To note they moved the opening date to a Tuesday as opposed to a Friday for it being less busy, cheaper (due to less flights out), amongst likely having all or nearly all the security lanes open for the big day, etc. It's going to take time to really get an idea the time it takes on average to get through lines with the new airport. It could end up being okay for the new airport but the skepticism is warranted. Spring break is going to be a good test for this.

 

[sasywtch]

The only time I've been to the KC airport was in 2000. It was a connecting flight SW from OKC to Orlando. I don't know if there was one terminal or more but there was one little security for everyone where we were. Once you got through security, there was one big waiting room for all flights. On the way home, we had a longer layover and thought, okay...we will pass the time sitting down eating. LOL There was a fastfood chicken place (could have been KFC???) and that was it. We were done in 10 minutes so the kids and I went outside, sat in front of the circle and watched the car rental buses go round and round (and we sang that song).

 

[tvguy]

It will be interesting to see what, if any "surprises" turn up as problems they didn't anticipate.
Sacramento opened their new Terminal B at the end of 2011 with the ticket counters and baggage claim in a different building than the gates, the only link was an electric train. Guess what, trains break down. So they immediately had to spend $1 million to add a sidewalk along the train tracks. Now they are finally spending millions more to put a roof over the sidewalk. Allegedly the TSA suggested the separate buildings so that if there is a security breach, they can isolate people in one side or the other.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It will be interesting to see what, if any "surprises" turn up as problems they didn't anticipate.
Sacramento opened their new Terminal B at the end of 2011 with the ticket counters and baggage claim in a different building than the gates, the only link was an electric train. Guess what, trains break down. So they immediately had to spend $1 million to add a sidewalk along the train tracks. Now they are finally spending millions more to put a roof over the sidewalk. Allegedly the TSA suggested the separate buildings so that if there is a security breach, they can isolate people in one side or the other.

In the weeks leading up to the opening day they had several hundred people (out of 10,000 that applied to be volunteers) from our area test it out. I thought about putting in to be one of the volunteers but ended up not. My husband would have been ineligible as his present company did work for it (prior to him being employed but still).

They did all sorts of tests from baggage claim to pick up and drop off.

This isn't a new terminal opening this is an entirely new airport built from ground up just next to the old airport.

The only things I've heard so far is complaints about wifi but they advised they have many readers installed around.

They will be utilizing electric buses for transportation (there's already some that had been in usage for the old airport) but they are also being charged via an inductive system installed at the stops so they will get charging while passengers get on and off and while awaiting passengers.

But you're right anything and everything can come up.

 

[tvguy]

In the weeks leading up to the opening day they had several hundred people (out of 10,000 that applied to be volunteers) from our area test it out.

Right before they opened our new County Jail they held a charity fundraiser dinner in the jail. You could go and tour the jail, enjoy a gourmet catered dinner, and if you paid extra, actually spend the night in a cell.
While it was an interesting fundraising idea, in reality it was a shakedown test of the jail. They discovered, the elevators in the "secure" area of the jail, were wired wrong. It allowed inmates to control them from the jail floor. They were only supposed to be able to be controlled from the guard towers on each floor.
We went with a small group, including one lady I did not know. A few months later, I switched jobs and was taken to the General Manager's office to meet him. She was his Administrative Assistant, but was away from her desk. When she returned, he made a point of introduce me to her, and she said "oh, I know him, we met in jail!" General Manager didn't know what to say, because he knew she wasn't a practical joker, and the look on his face was priceless.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Right before they opened our new County Jail they held a charity fundraiser dinner in the jail. You could go and tour the jail, enjoy a gourmet catered dinner, and if you paid extra, actually spend the night in a cell.
While it was an interesting fundraising idea, in reality it was a shakedown test of the jail. They discovered, the elevators in the "secure" area of the jail, were wired wrong. It allowed inmates to control them from the jail floor. They were only supposed to be able to be controlled from the guard towers on each floor.
We went with a small group, including one lady I did not know. A few months later, I switched jobs and was taken to the General Manager's office to meet him. She was his Administrative Assistant, but was away from her desk. When she returned, he made a point of introduce me to her, and she said "oh, I know him, we met in jail!" General Manager didn't know what to say, because he knew she wasn't a practical joker, and the look on his face was priceless.

Yeah...don't think trying out the new jail would be on my bucket list.

For the new airport volunteers they wanted a mixture of newbie, occasional and frequent travelers but I do believe they leaned more heavily on the newbie and occasional because those types of travelers aren't used to the navigation of an airport.

 

[Babs Johnson]

This isn't a new terminal opening this is an entirely new airport built from ground up just next to the old airport.

The only things I've heard so far is complaints about wifi but they advised they have many readers installed around.

They will be utilizing electric buses for transportation (there's already some that had been in usage for the old airport) but they are also being charged via an inductive system installed at the stops so they will get charging while passengers get on and off and while awaiting passengers.

But you're right anything and everything can come up.

Oh? Are there new runways, taxiways, maintenance facilities, etc? It’s my understanding that, yes, it’s just a new terminal building to replace the old ones. Practically everything else is the same.

I think the last built from scratch US airport is Denver.

I‘m sure some unexpected issues will arise despite the volunteer testing. Hopefully they will be minor and easily corrected.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Oh? Are there new runways, taxiways, maintenance facilities, etc? It’s my understanding that, yes, it’s just a new terminal building to replace the old ones.

I think the last built from scratch US airport is Denver.

I‘m sure some unexpected issues will arise despite the volunteer testing. Hopefully they will be minor and easily corrected.

The PP was talking about an existing add on. That comparison would only apply if they were keeping Terminal B and C (or just one of them) in conjunction with utilizing the new one. They were discussing how issues arose with two separate buildings with TSA/security concerns. This is a single terminal with planned gate expansion later on and no retrofitting with a mixture of old/new. The security, the arrivals/departures/gates, bathrooms, shopping, food, lounges (which wasn't there before), additional features such as the sensory room, etc were all built from the ground up. The electric bus charging pads are new (and not in any other airport). They already ran on electric but the charging pads extend how long they can be running. A new 6,000+ car garage was built. The perspective of what issues could they find was the discussion. For all intents and purposes everything is a new airport from that discussion.

If you disagree with the semantics perhaps a title change to your thread is in order? Certainly your prerogative