So is Kansas City International a convenient airport or not?

• Steve Vockrodt
• This trophy is in KCI’s offices, but they’re not sure how they got it.

Plenty of local residents think that Kansas City International Airport is fabulously convenient, especially compared with larger airports.

Research firm J.D. Power & Associates agreed – at least they did in 2010, when they festooned KCI with their highest ranking for passenger satisfaction among medium-sized airports, in part due to its convenience at the check-in counter and security checkpoints.

Why, then, do local officials take such a dim view of KCI’s accessibility?

“Fly out midmorning,” suggests Kansas City aviation director Mark VanLoh. “That’s the best time to go. But for the business travelers who have to go early, they know the delays and confusion we have.”