KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It’s the final Friday before travelers start departing from the new terminal at Kansas City International Airport.
As for the older space, it’s still in use through Monday. Some visitors said it certainly has that ‘packing up for a move’ feeling to it.
Those little treats at the airport, they are hard to come by at the moment.
“I just went up to Starbucks to try to get a drink and they’re out of basically everything. So, I was like ‘Okay, I guess that’s not happening this time around,'” Caitlyn Holland, headed to New York, said.
The convenience shops – closed. Self-serve check-in kiosks, most relocated to the new terminal.
It is all building to the switch-over Monday night when 31 aircraft will be moved to the new terminal And passengers will be directed to the new building Tuesday morning.
But even now there is a simmering mild nostalgia for the old terminals.
“We’ve always loved how easy the airport is. You know, it’s been just known for – it’s small, easy to navigate, don’t have to get here too early,” Holland said.
Then there’s a married couple, Micaela and Don Richardson, who has a personal connection to the buildings.
“Every time he picks me up from the airport he comes in either a costume or has a giant poster or a crowd or will start running down the terminal screaming my name,” Michaela said.
For Friday’s pick-up of his nearly 7-month-pregnant wife he chose a bumpkin theme – wearing a Busch t-shirt and sleeveless button-up.
Showing a past picture, Micaela read another one of her husband’s signs: “It says ‘Welcome home! Congrats on your parole! I can’t find the remote.'”
“Is it right for him to be pulling pranks on you, someone who is in your condition right now?” FOX4’s Jacob Kittilstad asked.
“You know, at this point I feel like I almost expect it because he happens to do it almost every single time,” Micaela said.
Don showed-off another picture of himself wearing a dark suit and sunglasses: “Secret service – for picking up a high value target,” he said.
“It seems like a part of your relationship is the airport – so how do you feel about having a new place to pull your pranks?” Kittilstad asked.
“I’m looking forward to it. I new place. A new environment. New opportunities to really just make sure that she feels loved,” Don said.
“Oh, there will definitely be new places to try to spot him. He usually hides behind the limo drivers or something like that,” Micaela said.
The terminal switch-over timeframe was intentionally chosen because it falls between Presidents Day weekend and the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship, a lull in high travel volume.
