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SPECIAL EVENTS  
May | June 2026      AirportImprovement.com
MCI
“The technology is very low power,” he 
adds. “A one-minute phone call is roughly 
equivalent to about a million scans, so 
there’s no [health] impact to the operator 
or the person being screened.”
Preparing for the Unexpected
Security checkpoints are only one piece 
of the passenger processing puzzle. The 
airport is also planning what happens after 
passengers check their bags. Vanderlande, 
which handles MCI’s baggage handling 
system, has been stress-testing capacity 
with trials that simulate a variety of 
situations, from increased luggage volume 
to potential system failures. “They’ve been 
working to understand what happens if 
something goes down—and how quickly 
that information can be communicated,” 
says Overstreet. The goal is to identify 
weak points before the first fans arrive, 
working toward June 1 as a soft deadline.
The airport is also running tabletop 
exercises that cover a range of 
scenarios—from road closures to severe 
weather to transportation disruptions. 
“We’re not operating in a silo,” Meyer 
emphasizes. “We’re coordinating closely 
with other stakeholders.”
That list includes federal agencies 
like TSA and U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection, as well as local law 
enforcement and private partners.
Even with years of preparation and 
contingency planning, uncertainty 
remains. The wildcard of international 
travel demand remains undefined, but 
airport officials say they are ready to 
adapt. “Everybody is really focused on 
making sure Kansas City is ready for 
whatever comes,” Meyer says.
Game Time
As the giant countdown clock ticks closer 
to zero, work at MCI continues—refining 
plans, testing systems and preparing staff 
for what could be the busiest stretch in the 
airport’s history.
For Overstreet, the mission is ultimately 
about people. “We understand that the 
airport is essentially going to be a lot 
of people’s first impression of Kansas 
City, potentially their first impression of 
the U.S.,” he reflects. “You definitely 
remember your first and last experiences. 
So we want to make sure they are as 
positive as possible.”
On June 26, when thousands of 
fans converge in the terminal between 
matches, all of MCI’s preparations will be 
put to the test. 
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