KANSAS CITY, Mo — Whether coming to visit a city or flying from your hometown, many people don't want to dread a travel day.
However, dreadful seems to be a common theme for how people thought of the old Kansas City International terminal.
"It wasn't very welcoming. It felt like I was walking, and it wasn't as light; kinda dark. I felt kinda like I wanna leave," said Addison Coffey, a Kansas City resident.
Another resident from Kansas City was quick to describe it as "terrible."
"No place to sit. No place was ever open. The bathrooms didn't work, sinks didn't work," Bryn Tekle said.
Tiffany Coffey echoed their perspectives.
"It was so limiting, and that's always the first impression of Kansas City when they haven't been here before," she said. "It felt outdated, old, and small, so I think people still had that impression of it as a cow town, small town Kansas City."
The old airport left many people wanting better for Kansas City and they got it.
Wednesday markED the one-year anniversary of KCI's new terminal and travelers graded food, parking and the general improvements.
Coffey said it was easy to give the new food options an A plus.
"I don't want chain stuff," she said. "I love the fact that there are local things here."
Tekle said parking gets an A minus.
"I like close parking so if I'm doing one or two nights I'll grab a spot real close," he said.
While some travelers from Florida weren't completely sold and still chose Miami's airport over KCI, they gave a solid B plus for what they saw on their way out.
"I think it's nice compared to other airports I've been in," Javon Debrito said.
Old KCI failed but new KCI passed the test. For some people, the score might be higher with more progress.
"Let's get some more direct flights in here to hop on and go more places," Tekle said.
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