Midwest Voices

Lewis Diuguid

The Kansas City Star

The runways at Kansas City International Airport were mostly clear by Friday for flights taking off and landing after KCI had shut down on Thursday because of the snowstorm.

But passengers returning to their cars in the long-term parking lots were certainly surprised to find that snowplows had cleared paths for the shuttle buses and cars to get through but left about two feet of snow behind every parked vehicle. A lot of people — relieved that the airport had reopened so they could get home — had no inkling of what was in store for them when they stepped off the shuttles and found that they were going nowhere.

Many people who had no shovels in their vehicles or coats on their backs had to call KCI officials for help and then huddle in the shelters until someone arrived.

One creative guy in Lot B on Friday used a plastic beer cooler that he had in his car to scoop away the snow behind his vehicle so he could break free.

No doubt with today’s predicted snowfall of up to 12 inches, more KCI travelers will get socked in at the airport again. That’s far from what anyone would have imagined being “snowed in” would be like in middle America.

The lesson here is be sure to keep a shovel in the car along with road salt, sand or cat litter.

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