KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City International Airport is "back open and operating as expected" after a potential security threat Wednesday morning.
The Kansas City Aviation Department said it was made aware of a "potential threat in the unsecured area" of the airport, which prompted airport police and the FBI to work "quickly to evaluate the situation and ensure the safety over everyone."
KCAD said travelers were evacuated from the affected area of the terminal to allow authorities to search the area.
"Law enforcement was able to determine no credible threat to the airport or those inside the terminal at this time," KCAD said in a statement.
Shortly before noon, travelers were let back inside, and KCAD worked to "resume normal operations and minimize disruptions."
No one has been arrested in the incident, either by airport police or the FBI.
KSHB 41 reporters Charlie Keegan, Elyse Schoenig and Lily O'Shea Becker followed up throughout the day with travelers, airport staff and security personnel to provide additional context and better understand how the lockdown affected travel in Kansas City.
Airport security expert
Keegan spoke with Sheldon Jacobson, who is an aviation security expert who worked with TSA in risk management. He now teaches at the University of Illinois.
Jacobson noted that Wednesday’s evacuation was a minimal disruption, considering the circumstances. He said in the very rare situation when a possible threat is on the other side of the TSA checkpoint, the entire airport would have had to be evacuated, and everyone would need to go back through a security checkpoint.
Jacobson detailed the balancing act that airport and security officials typically try to balance in these types of situations.
“They will always take a worst-case scenario of what are we dealing with here,” Jacobson explained. “How do we make it as safe as possible, but also we don’t want people to be inconvenienced more than they have to.”
The most prudent thing that TSA and law enforcement can do is shut down part of the airport, Jacobson said.
He added that because TSA is not law enforcement, the agency must rely on local law enforcement, airport police and the FBI.
Travelers
Most passengers told KSHB journalists that the evacuation was orderly.
“It didn’t make me nervous because nobody else seemed to be panicking,” traveler Robin Eager told Keegan.
After about an hour wait, airport operations resumed.
Catherine Baskett-Cook missed her flight to Las Vegas due to the evacuation.
“I just thought the whole thing was a little bizarre," she said. “I was just trying to figure out what my next steps were going to be.
Luckily, Southwest put her on the next flight to Las Vegas so the Chiefs superfan could make it to this weekend's game.
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