An expected increase in travelers this summer at KCI Airport could lead to longer security lines and wait times.
According to statistics from the Kansas City Aviation Department, the number of seats aboard departing KCI flights this summer is up around 10 percent compared to last year.
Chart courtesy the Kansas City Aviation Department
More seats being offered could mean more travelers and longer security lines.
"Our airlines have grown in Kansas City," said Justin Meyer, the Aviation Department's deputy director of aviation marketing & air service development. "That's good news that they're trying to match demand, but that also means it's going to be a busy summer at KCI."
Meyer added that with the expected increase in flyers this summer, more people unfamiliar with current airport screening procedures might travel through KCI.
"What we see during the summer is typically less frequent flyers that may not be as familiar with the security screening process," he explained. "They may be a little slower through the checkpoints."
Long lines at security areas were spotted throughout the day at KCI on Monday.
One man tweeted a picture around 6:30 a.m. showing a security line stretching across much of the visual concourse.
Can't even see gate from here, but @KCIAirport is so convenient the way it is and we shouldn't change it!! #sarcasm pic.twitter.com/FZCiPJTNtX
— Chris Reese (@RealChrisReese) May 16, 2016
Another man, Dave Weisz, experienced a traveling nightmare.
"I arrived here 5:30 this morning," he said. "I waited about half an hour to get through security before I got in there. I found out I had a broken plane."
Weisz had a trip planned to Fort Meyers, Florida.
The stress of finding another flight was made even worse by the long security lines at KCI.
"Because of the design here, I had to go through security three times," said Weisz. "So for about an hour and a half total I had to wait in security lines."
The flight and line issues led to Weisz spending over eight hours looking for a plane out of KCI.
"It's been a long day, and this airport is not designed to have a flyer stuck here for 8 hours," he said.
Long security lines have made headlines recently at airports all across the country.
The TSA is dealing with a shortage of workers and increased security measures, which have led to nightmarishly long wait times as travelers try to make flights.
While the TSA helps organize and oversee security procedures at KCI, the airport currently employs a private firm to run screening areas.
Much of the current design at KCI could be leading to the expected summertime problems.
Accessibility between gates has been a longtime issue at KCI, and a lack of security lanes can lead to bottlenecks before crowded flights.
Furthermore, while the TSA advises travelers to sign up for the PreCheck program to speed up wait times, the program is not offered fully at KCI.
Currently, Delta and Southwest are the only airlines that offer the service at the airport.
As a result of all these issues, be prepared to wait at KCI before you open the sunscreen for vacation.
"KCI is going to be not exempt from longer lines," explained Meyer. "It's summer travel period. It's a busy period."
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Tom Dempsey can be reached at Tom.Dempsey@KSHB.com.
