On July 23, Miami International Airport hosted its latest MIA Airport Instruction and Readiness (MIAair) tour for more than 60 children with special needs from Easterseals South Florida, a school for neurodivergent students from Kindergarten to 12th grade. 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 children practiced entering the airport, getting boarding passes, going through security, and boarding an American Airlines plane. The program also serves as a learning experience for airline and airport workers at MIA. The goal of the MIAair program is for anyone – regardless of their disability – to experience the magic and wonder of flight.
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.”
For more information about MIA’s award-winning MIAair program and its other accessibility services, visit the MyMIAccess home page.