Chiefs team plane arrives back at KCI to fanfare

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A few lucky airport workers got a front-row seat for the Super Bowl-winning Chiefs landing at KCI and getting off the plane Monday evening.

The audience was small, mostly city leaders, airport officials and media. Then there were three guys in safety vests grinning like kids at Christmas. Their phones were held high, zoomed in.

They rattled off the names of players as they stepped out the door of the aircraft.

“This is a great experience. This is so cool. For the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl and be here to welcome them home. It’s awesome,” said one of the men, who identified himself as a contractor.

United Flight 3815 taxied in at sunset. Two fire trucks flanked the plane and sprayed it with water, what’s known as a “water salute.”

Mayor Quinton Lucas acted as honorary marshal leading the plane in with orange batons. An authorized marshal stood high above him giving the visual directions officially with brightly lit batons.

“As a mayor of a big city, you have to be ready to do everything whether they are parades or landing gigantic airplanes,” Lucas said jokingly, noting that he got a 10-second lesson.

The Vince Lombardi Trophy came off first in the capable hands of head coach Andy Reid. The Chiefs’ flag flew from the cockpit as the champions deplaned.

Defensive tackle Chris Jones peered under the stairs at the city VIPs on site with tight end Travis Kelce right behind. The trophy promptly got a seat of its own at the front of the team bus. Several players walked off with an armload of shopping bags from luxury stores.

“It’s just amazing to see this come together again,” said Kathy Nelson, president and CEO of the Kansas City Sports Commission.

Lucas watched the game from Allegiant Stadium. Nelson watched from home. She was unable to attend the game because she was busy doing all the checks and double checks for a possible parade, including a full practice run on Sunday before kickoff.

After departing from KCI, the Chiefs arrived back at their Arrowhead Stadium practice facility around 7 p.m. Monday. While fans were not allowed to welcome the team back home, Luis Gonzalez brought his family to see if they could catch a glimpse of the glory.

“We are here waiting for the champions!” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez, along with his two boys, is a die-hard Chiefs fan, saying there are no words to describe their love for the team.

“I wanted to come to see my idols,” his son said.

His son said Chris Jones is his favorite player and looks up to him.

“I play for Wyandotte High School, and I played defensive linemen, and he’s my idol because I want to be just like him,” he said.

The family said the Super Bowl was the thrill of a lifetime and a game they’ll never forget.

“Oh, we cried a lot, the whole family,” Gonzalez said.

The family eventually was told to leave because fans were not allowed on the property.

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