MIA Opens Wheelchair Charging Stations

MIA Plugs in Wheelchair Charging Stations to Kick Off Mobility Awareness Month

• Miami International Airport continues expansion of services for travelers with disabilities

To kick off Mobility Awareness Month, Miami-Dade County leaders and advocates for the local disability community held a plug-in ceremony to celebrate the installation of 10 new wheelchair charging stations at Miami International Airport. MIA is one of the first U.S. airports to install the charging stations, which exceeds the basic Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) airport requirements.

From left: Megan Nunez, Office of Commissioner Rene Garcia; Susan Holtzman, Older Adult and Special Needs Advocate, Office of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava; Andrea Piccardo, Office of Mayor Levine Cava; Heidi Johnson-Wright, ADA Coordinator, Miami-Dade County; MIA Director and CEO Lester Sola; Marcus Barfield, Office of Commissioner Keon Hardemon; and Jessica Marin-Urrea, MIA ADA Coordinator cut the ribbon.

© Miami International Airport

Miami-Dade County Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava, said:

I applaud MIA for remaining on the forefront of airport accessibility with this fantastic new initiative. Resources like these wheelchair charging stations are critical to better serving travelers with special needs, and ensuring MIA is on the leading edge of the new norms of air travel.

The charging stations are now available at 10 key locations throughout the airport – eight post-security and two pre-security.Locations for the wheelchair charging stations and MIA’s other accessibility services are available at the airport’s MyMIAccessweb page.

Miami-Dade County ADA Coordinator Heidi Johnson-Wright is the first charging station user at MIA.

© Miami International Airport

MIA Director and CEO, Lester Sola, said:

One of our highest priorities at MIA is making the joy of air travel even more accessible and convenient for all our customers. Thanks to our new charging stations, travelers using wheelchairs now have more freedom and independence to move around MIA without worrying about low batteries.

The new charging stations are the latest in a menu of services MIA has introduced recently for travelers with disabilities. Last November, MIA became one of the first 10 U.S. airports to provide sunflower lanyards free of charge to travelers with hidden disabilities. The lanyards act as a discreet indicator to airport employees that those passengers may need some extra time during the travel process. Last November, MIA also opened its second multi-sensory room – a calming place for young passengers with developmental disabilities to relax during the travel experience.

This article was originally published by Miami International Airport.

Tags

• Accessibility
• Florida
• MIA
• Passenger Services
• United States