MCI and the Evacuation That Wasn’t
KSHB news reported Tuesday that portions of Kansas City International Airport's (MCI) Terminal C were evacuated due to an "unruly passenger."
Kevin Koster, a member of the Airport Terminal Advisory Group empanelled by the mayor two years ago to consider the wisdom of a $1 billion new terminal, reacted on Twitter,
A single terminal would have had to be completely evac. TSA told KCI task force this was advantage of current design
Back in March 2014, The Kansas City Business Journal reported that a TSA official did exactly that [emphasis added]:
Della Jacono also shot down an assertion that KCI was more vulnerable to curbside bombings than other airports because the pickup and drop-off curb is so close to the passenger terminal. He said that vulnerability is common among U.S. airports.
He also said a multiple-terminal layout prevents large, vulnerable crowds from forming and could help the TSA isolate threats if they arose.
According to KSHB, the aviation department spokesman released a statement saying, "Out of an abundance of caution, KCI Airport Police evacuated portions of the airport terminal to ensure the safety of the general public." Only two American Airlines flights were canceled.
It is reasonable to wonder how much of MCI would have been shut down if the same "abundance of caution" was required in a single terminal.
