KONE Escalator Project Complete at Tennessee Airport

Just prior to Christmas 2025, a new set of KONE escalators serving the McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) in Tennessee just south of Knoxville became operational, a relief for travelers who had been dealing with out-of-commission escalators for months, Yahoo News reports, citing the Knoxville News Sentinel. Originating from 2000, the escalators take passengers from the main terminal floor down to the baggage claim and car rental areas. In August 2025, TYS officials began shutting off one escalator at a time so the units could be replaced following a US$1-million contract being awarded to KONE early in 2025. The escalators are estimated to carry more than 300 million people annually, and the old units frequently broke down. In a mid-December 2025 post, a TYS staff member called the new units  “the most beautiful escalators we’ve ever seen.”