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Miami International Airport was named the overall winner of the 2021 Airport Accessibility Award on Oct. 14 during the sixth annual Airport PRM (Passengers with Reduced Mobility) Leadership Conference, after earning 50 percent of the votes from the virtual conference’s 159 attendees from 42 countries.
The Airport PRM Leadership Conference, organized by PRM software developer Ozion Airport Software, is an annual one-day event where accessibility community stakeholders from airlines, airports, service providers and airport authorities present and discuss key operational and strategic thoughts related to improving accessibility for people with disabilities.
Other finalists for the 2021 Accessibility Award were Seattle International Airport and India’s GMR Hyderabad International Airport, who together received the remaining 50 percent of the votes. Last year’s winner was Italy’s Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport.
“Congratulations to MIA for being recognized as a global leader in passenger accessibility by its industry peers,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “Miami-Dade County is committed to ensuring all our residents and visitors can access our airport facilities, including people with diverse abilities and disabilities. I’m extremely proud to see MIA leading the way in expanding accessibility and inclusion worldwide.”
MIA was recognized for its myMIAccess program, which was launched in 2020 to further integrate and promote accessibility into the airport’s culture.
Most recently, in May 2021, MIA became the first airport in the U.S. to install wheelchair charging stations airport-wide. The charging stations offer people with electric mobility devices the opportunity to enjoy travel without the stress of low batteries.
In November 2020, MIA opened its second multi-sensory room for passengers with cognitive and developmental disabilities to enjoy a calm environment while traveling, and it also became one of 10 U.S. airports and 60 worldwide to provide sunflower lanyards free of charge to passengers with hidden disabilities. The lanyards are a discrete way to communicate to airport staff that those passengers may need more time or have additional questions while traveling.
“We have made a concerted effort at MIA to engage with the local disability community, understand their needs and provide a smoother travel experience for them,” said Ralph Cutié, MIA director and CEO. “We are honored to receive the 2021 Airport Accessibility Award because of those efforts, and to be recognized by other industry leaders from around the world.”
