City Council members returned from Dallas Love Field Airport on Friday after meeting with leaders from Southwest Airlines to go over possible future plans for Kansas City International Airport.
Council members Jolie Justus, Teresa Loar, Dan Fowler, Quinton Lucas and Jermaine Reed made the trip. On Friday, leaders with Southwest Airlines took the group on a tour of Dallas Love Field's security areas, retail spaces, baggage systems and operating centers.
Dallas Love Field opened in 1974. However, in 2009, a $519 million construction project began at the airport on a new single-terminal design. Today, Dallas Love Field is home to 20 gates and a design KCI may emulate moving forward.
Southwest Airlines continues to be a major player at KCI, and Friday's meeting served as an opportunity to show Council members the draw of a new terminal.
"They [Southwest] are fans of Kansas City and they really want to make a big investment in this city, there's no question about that," explained Justus.
Last year, aviation and airline leaders revealed designs for a new terminal at KCI. According to the designs, the new terminal would be built in the area currently occupied by Terminal A at KCI. The new terminal would add space for more retail stores and restaurants, more gates to accommodate airlines and flights and make changes to the current security check system at KCI.
real positive w/DAL is seeing busy shops, shoeshine folks & customers.Quite a diff fr #KCI. #DayAtKCI Field Trip. pic.twitter.com/4S45aMNG5W
— Quinton Lucas (@QuintonLucasKC) April 15, 2016
Dallas, TX: Behind-the-scenes look at @SouthwestAir baggage operations #LoveField transporting 7k bags per hour. pic.twitter.com/3cKpKSdPDH
— Jermaine Reed (@JermaineReed) April 15, 2016
Plans presented to City Council to build a new terminal total around $964 million.
While many people have grown to love KCI's horseshoe design and short walks to the gates, Justus said airline leaders have raised concerns about the format.
"They're not willing to fund something that doesn't meet their operational needs, and that's why they say they'd like a new terminal," she said. "They said our current configuration is holding us back when it comes to getting more flights because we do not have a good connectivity experience here."
After the meeting on Friday, Justus said she favored the plans for a new terminal.
"We can do it so that we prepare ourselves to be ready for the next 50 years in the city," explained Justus.
However, other council members are not as convinced on the new terminal plan as of now.
"I don't know what the rush is," explained Loar. "So far, the airport functions really well."
Loar said since many people enjoy the horseshoe design and its convenience, a renovation of the current facilities may be a better option.
On April 26, the Kansas City Leadership Committee will likely make a formal proposal to City Council to build a new terminal at KCI. City Council members will then decide whether to put the plan on a ballot. Voters will have the ultimate say on the issue, possibly later this year.
Loar said much is at stake with the issue.
"This will be the biggest decision this council makes by far," she said.
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Tom Dempsey can be reached at Tom.Dempsey@KSHB.com.
