Miami International Airport

04/17/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/17/2024 13:22

MIA hosts rehearsal tour for future travelers with special needs

Miami,
17
April
2024
|
21:19 PM
Europe/Amsterdam

MIA hosts rehearsal tour for future travelers with special needs

  • MIA Director and CEO Ralph Cutié and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel A. Regalado joined participants for the MIAair tour on April 17.
  • MIAair participants check in before for the tour.
  • MIAair participants in the cockpit with the GlobalX flight crew.
  • MIAair participants practice preparing for takeoff during the tour.
  • MIA Director and CEO Ralph Cutié and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel A. Regalado joined participants for the MIAair tour on April 17.
  • MIAair participants check in before for the tour.
  • MIAair participants in the cockpit with the GlobalX flight crew.
  • MIAair participants practice preparing for takeoff during the tour.

In recognition of Autism Acceptance Month, Miami International Airport today hosted its latest MIA Airport Instruction and Readiness (MIAair) tour for 14 children with special needs and their families or guardians. The tour allowed participants to rehearse the air travel experience from start to finish, all the way to an airplane seat, in a safe and controlled environment. The tour also included 13 patients from the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis who have suffered spinal cord injuries and have a permanent disability.

Families practiced entering the airport, getting boarding passes, going through security, and boarding a GlobalXplane. The program also served as a learning experience for airline and TSA workers at MIA. The goal of the MIAair program is for anyone - regardless of their disability - to experience the magic and wonder of flight. Since the tours began in 2015, more than 150 families have participated.

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We strive to make Miami-Dade County services as accessible as possible to all of our residents, which is why I am so proud of MIA's successful efforts to empower travelers with disabilities through its award-winning MIAair tour program. Thanks to this month's MIAair tour, more children and their families have increased confidence about not letting their disability prevent them from enjoying the thrill of air travel at MIA.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava
"

Last year, MIA became the first airport in Florida and the second in the U.S. to be accredited by the Airports Council International (ACI) Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation(AEA) program, in recognition of MIA's commitment to "prioritizing and ensuring an accessible, safe, and inclusive traveling experience for passengers with disabilities."

Boilerplate

Miami International Airport, America's busiest airport for international freight and the second busiest for international passengers, is receiving an unprecedented investmentof $7 billion in capital improvements and $1.7 billion in maintenance upgrades.MIA offers more flights to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other U.S. airport and is also the leading economic engine for Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida, generating business revenue of $31.9 billion and approximately 60 percent of all international visitors to Florida annually.

To request materials in accessible format, Sign Language Interpreters, CART services and/or any accommodation to participate in any Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) public meetings and events please email the ADA Office at [email protected]or call the office in 305-876-7747 five days in advance to initiate your request. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service).