Miami International Airport has become the first Florida – and second US – airport to be accredited by the Airports Council International (ACI) Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation (AEA) programme.
MIA has been recognised for its commitment to ‘prioritising and ensuring an accessible, safe, and inclusive traveling experience for passengers with disabilities’. The AEA programme was created by ACI in September 2022 based on existing international best practices and recommendations, including those in the ACI Airport and Persons with Disability Handbook. It also received input from global airport members, industry partners, and accessibility advocacy groups.
“We strive to make Miami-Dade County services as accessible as possible to all of our residents, which is why I am so proud that MIA’s efforts to serve travellers with disabilities are being recognised internationally. As MIA continues to grow and improve at every level, this global accreditation is evidence that the customer experience at the gateway to our community is on the right track,” said Daniella Levine Cava, the mayor of Miami-Dade County.
MIA earned the three-year accreditation by completing a detailed questionnaire developed with the support of the ACI Accessibility Advisory Group, which includes representatives from member airports, training providers, consultants, and accessibility organisations. Independent subject matter experts then performed an online validation interview with MIA representatives to evaluate the questionnaire.
We have worked tirelessly to meet and exceed the needs of our travellers with disabilities, which makes ACI’s accreditation of our accessibility services extremely gratifying
MIA offers ten wheelchair charging stations
Accessibility at MIA
The last decade has seen the MyMIAccess programme deliver a broad range of accessibility services, such as the MIAair tour programme, which give passengers with disabilities the opportunity to practice the travel experience in a safe and controlled environment; accessible lanes in its US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) areas; wheelchair charging stations; free sunflower lanyards for travellers with hidden disabilities; multi-sensory rooms in its North and South terminals; the Aira Airport Network, a free mobile service that helps blind or low-vision travellers navigate MIA; and seven service animal relief areas.
“We have worked tirelessly to meet and exceed the needs of our travellers with disabilities, which makes ACI’s accreditation of our accessibility services extremely gratifying. We are making additional improvements to our airport terminal, with the goal of providing greater customer satisfaction to all of our visitors,” said Ralph Cutié, MIA director and CEO.
Images: Miami International Airport
MIA has multi-sensory rooms in both its North and South terminals
