The city of Kansas City has named Melissa Cooper as its director of aviation, responsible for overseeing Kansas City International Airport (MCI).
A Kansas City native, Cooper has worked in the aviation field in Kansas City for more than 25 years. She is the first woman to fill this role in the history of the city’s aviation department. In December 2021, Cooper was promoted to deputy director of aviation over properties and commercial development, a position where she helped launch Kansas City’s $1.5 billion new terminal at MCI.
The opening of our brand-new Kansas City International Airport terminal was a transformational project for our community which took the strong leadership of many, with Melissa Cooper playing an integral role,” Kansas City Mayor Quintan Lucas said. “As Kansas City month-over-month breaks passenger traveler records and secures more flights to more places both domestically and internationally, I am proud to welcome Melissa—who makes history as Kansas City’s first ever female aviation director—to lead the department into the future as it continues to serve the flying public across our region. Ms. Cooper’s 17 years of work at the aviation department, most recently as deputy director of aviation and airport manager of the downtown Charles B. Wheeler Airport, will help her hit the ground running, working to continue growing Kansas City International’s success.”
Cooper says her first pilot introductory flight 30 years ago sparked her love of aviation. “I have been very fortunate to foster this passion with a variety of jobs, training, and experiences within the aviation field, preparing me for the roles and responsibilities of the director of aviation,” she said. “I am truly honored, as a lifetime Kansas City resident, to serve our community and to lead the men and women of the aviation department, in pursuit of a first-class airport experience for our business and leisure travelers arriving to and departing from Kansas City.”.
