Tag Archives: Miami International Airport

RED Air DC-9-82 (MD-82) makes a hard landing at Miami, exits the runway and catches fire

 

Developing story:

RED Air McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82) (HI1064, msn 53027) operating as flight L5 203 from Santo Domingo to Miami made an emergency landing at Miami International Airport this afternoon around 5:30 pm (1730) local time. 140 passengers and 11 crew members were on board.

The aircraft made a hard landing, the nose gear reportedly collapsed and the aircraft veered off the runway impacting some signage. The aircraft caught on fire and burned. Minor injuries to three people while evacuating.

The two southern runways at MIA are closed.

https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/plane-catches-fire-at-miami-international-airport-after-crash-landing-at-least-4-hurt/

The airframe was originally delivered to American Airlines as N16545 on December 18, 1990.

The aircraft is a probable insurance write off (WO) due to the damage and fire.

Videos:

More details to follow.

Alaska Airlines adds Cleveland and returns to Miami, will also fly Salt Lake City – Anchorage

Alaska Airlines made this announcement:

With the official start of summer just days away, Alaska Airlines is once again expanding its horizons with the launch of five new routes this week as many of us are eager for fun in the sun in different places.

We’re now flying to two new cities: Cleveland and Miami with daily nonstop service from our hometown hub in Seattle/Tacoma. Plus, we keep growing in Boise with new nonstops to both Idaho Falls and Las Vegas. And we have a new nonstop flight between Anchorage and Salt Lake City.

We begin flying between Seattle/Tacoma and Cleveland on June 16. This summer, we’re the only airline connecting the vibrant city in Northeast Ohio with nonstop service to the Pacific Northwest. Cleveland becomes the third city we’ll serve in the Buckeye State with daily nonstops to Seattle joining Columbus and Cincinnati.

Alaska also launched June 16 its new daily nonstop flight between Seattle/Tacoma and Miami. The popular South Florida vacation spot becomes the airline’s 100thnonstop destination from Seattle – a cultural hub for travelers around the world with its incredible nightlife, art, music, architecture and food. Since 2012, we’ve provided nonstop service between Seattle and Fort Lauderdale, just to the north of Miami.

Alaska Airlines returns to Miami International Airport for the first time in 10 years.

In Boise, Alaska keeps growing with a pair of new flights. Starting on June 16, Alaska now offers daily nonstop service to both Idaho Falls and Las Vegas from the Idaho capital city. With these additional routes, Alaska flies an average of 31 daily departures from Boise to 15 destinations – all nonstop.

The added route joins its existing flights from the Spokane/Coeur d’Alene and Pullman/Moscow areas to link all key population centers across the state to Boise,

Starting June 18, Alaska will connect two summertime spots that are famous for outdoor adventures: Anchorage and Salt Lake City. Alaska will fly nonstop every week. This summer, Alaska will offer a wide variety of 22 nonstop destinations from Anchorage.

MIA made this announcement:

Water cannon salute to Alaska Airlines plane

Water cannon salute to Alaska Airlines plane

Officials from Alaska Airlines and Miami International Airport doing the coffee exchange as a symbolic gesture representative of both cities: Miami and Seattle. From left: Thomas McMahon, Director of Airport Operations, Alaska Airlines; David Asher, Senior Network Analyst, Alaska Airlines; and, Dan Agostino, Assistant Director of Operations, Miami-Dade Aviation Department

Officials from Alaska Airlines and Miami International Airport doing the coffee exchange as a symbolic gesture representative of both cities: Miami and Seattle. From left: Thomas McMahon, Director of Airport Operations, Alaska Airlines; David Asher, Senior Network Analyst, Alaska Airlines; and, Dan Agostino, Assistant Director of Operations, Miami-Dade Aviation Department

Ribbon-cutting ceremony. From left: Thomas McMahon, Director of Airport Operations, Alaska Airlines; David Asher, Senior Network Analyst, Alaska Airlines; and, Dan Agostino, Assistant Director of Operations, Miami-Dade Aviation Department

Ribbon-cutting ceremony. From left: Thomas McMahon, Director of Airport Operations, Alaska Airlines; David Asher, Senior Network Analyst, Alaska Airlines; and, Dan Agostino, Assistant Director of Operations, Miami-Dade Aviation Department

On June 16, Alaska Airlines resumed daily Seattle-Miami service for the first time since 2012, making Miami the airline’s 100th nonstop destination from its ­­­­­­hometown airport in Seattle and ­­­­giving South Florida residents another travel option to the Pacific Northwest. Alaska Airlines will serve its newest route with Boeing 737-8 and -9 aircraft that seat 159 and 178 passengers, respectively.

Alaska Airlines aircraft photo gallery:

MIA ranked America’s busiest international airport

Miami International Airport became the busiest U.S. gateway for international passengers while retaining its position as the busiest for international freight in 2021, according to preliminary 2021 airport rankings published this week by Airports Council International (ACI). MIA welcomed more than 13 million international passengers in 2021, moving it from 2nd place in 2020 to the top ranking in the U.S. and 11th place in the world. MIA remained the busiest airport in the U.S. and the ninth busiest in the world for international tonnage handled, at more than two million metric tons.

The global gateway is also now home to the ninth-busiest airfield in the world, with a total of 387,973 takeoffs and landings by passenger and cargo aircraft in 2021, for a 54-percent increase over 2020 – the largest increase among the 10 busiest airports worldwide. MIA’s ninth-place finish is its highest global ranking in aircraft operations in decades, and a giant leap from 24th in 2020 and 30th in 2019.

MIA finished 2021 with a total of 37.2 million passengers, which was twice its total of 18.6 million in 2020. The global gateway also handled 2.7 million tons of freight in 2021, shattering its previous record of 2.3 million tons in 2020 by 17 percent, for its second consecutive year of growth.

ACI’s world airport rankings are based on the preliminary compilation of 2021 data from airports around the world. Due to ACI’s reach as the trade association of the world’s airports, the rankings reflect the most updated airport data used by the industry and include passenger traffic, cargo volumes, and aircraft movements.

As traffic surges, MIA reopens concourses E and F areas

Miami International Airport made this announcement:

The Fall season is bringing a change in the weather and a change in airline locations at Miami International Airport. To accommodate for its rising passenger numbers, MIA reopened its Concourse F gates on November 1 and will reopen its Concourse E international arrivals facility on November 5, for the first time since the pandemic began.

Passengers arriving on international flights at MIA’s concourses E and F (except those by American Airlines) will soon have their passports screened at the reopened Concourse E federal inspection area and exit into the international greeter’s lobby located on the ground level near Door 11.

Fourteen airlines that previously used the Concourse D international arrivals facility will now use the reopened Concourse E facility. To see the international bag claim area for your flight, visit MIA’s online flight information board.

All inbound international passengers at MIA are screened with Simplified Arrival, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s enhanced passport clearance process that uses facial biometrics to automate the manual document checks already required for admission into the U.S. The expedited, touchless process screens as many as 10 passengers per minute.

Additionally, Frontier Airlines has relocated from MIA’s Concourse G to the newly refurbished and reopened Concourse F. While Concourse F was closed over the last year and a half, the 17-gate facility was upgraded with new lighting, flooring, seating, painting, ceiling tiles, and signage. This month, Frontier is launching Miami service to eight domestic and two international cities, for a total of 40 destinations served from MIA – its most ever.

Miami International Airport enters November with three airlines re-launching Miami service for the first time since the pandemic began and two other airlines making their MIA debuts.

Finnair began twice-weekly Stockholm service on October 23 and will restart Helsinki service three times per week on November 30. Fellow European carrier Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) also returns to MIA this month with three weekly flights to Copenhagen and twice-weekly flights to Stockholm on November 8 and 9 respectively, followed by weekly Oslo service scheduled to restart on November 11. Air Canada brought Canada flights back to MIA on November 1 with daily Toronto service, which is scheduled to expand to four daily flights in December. Air Canada is also scheduled to restart Montreal-Miami service back on November 6 with two weekly flights, followed by an increase to two daily flights in December.

A pair of charter passenger airlines kicked off November with Miami service launches as well. New U.S. charter airline Global Crossing Airlines (GlobalX) began three weekly charter flights to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on November 1, and plans to start five weekly flights to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and daily flights to Havana, Cuba later this month. In December, GlobalX is scheduled to launch daily flights from MIA to Las Vegas and Nassau, Bahamas. Dominican carrier RED Air started charter service at MIA on November 1 with daily flights to Santo Domingo, with plans to add a second daily flight on November 21.

Four more airlines are set to begin flying south this winter, with Aer Lingus (Dublin), KLM (Amsterdam), Royal Air Maroc (Casablanca), and Sunwing (Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City) scheduled to make their MIA returns in December and January.

The Miami service launches come as the U.S. government begins to allow vaccinated non-U.S. citizens from foreign destinations to enter the country starting November 8, for the first time since early 2020.

Note: Alaska Airlines also announced it was returning to MIA.

 

Terminal Map:

Spirit Airlines launches its first flights to Miami

Spirit Airlines today launched service at Miami International Airport (MIA), with its first flight arriving from Atlantic City, N.J. (ACY) (above) and its first departure bound for Port-au-Prince, Haiti (PAP).

Spirit’s presence at MIA begins with service to nine destinations, which will grow to 31 nonstop options by the time expansions in November and January are complete. The carrier will serve 20 markets domestically and 11 internationally.

Today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony included the announcement of the Free Spirit Flyaway, a  nationwide promotion in which Spirit will give away 31 pairs of roundtrip tickets in honor of each of its nonstop routes from MIA. Even better—the only requirement for entering for a chance to win is to be a member of the Free Spirit® loyalty program, which costs nothing to join and offers the fastest way to earn rewards and status.2

Spirit’s full schedule is large enough to earn the airline a position as MIA’s second largest carrier. Adding service at MIA is the next chapter of Spirit’s story as the carrier steps up to meet the demand for high-value travel to and from South Florida. The carrier is staffing MIA with more than 200 new Spirit Family Members and supporting the expansion with 16 brand new fuel-efficient Airbus A320neo planes being delivered this year. Next year, Spirit plans to accept another 24 new planes into the airline’s Fit Fleet®, which is among the youngest in the industry.

Spirit Airlines Routes from MIA

Destination:

Available:

Start Date:

Destination:

Available:

Start Date:

Atlantic City (ACY)

Daily

Oct. 6

Detroit (DTW)

Daily

Nov. 17

Atlanta (ATL)

Daily

Oct. 6

Hartford-Bradley (BDL)

Daily

Nov. 17

Baltimore (BWI)

Daily

Oct. 6

Houston (IAH)

Daily

Nov. 17

Bogotá (BOG)*

Daily

Oct. 7

Las Vegas (LAS)

Daily

Nov. 17

Guatemala City (GUA)*

4x per week

Oct. 7

Myrtle Beach (MYR)

Daily

Nov. 17

Medellín (MDE)*

Daily

Oct. 6

New York LaGuardia (LGA)

2x per day

Nov. 17

Newark (EWR)

Daily

Oct. 6

Orlando (MCO)

Daily

Nov. 17

Port-au-Prince (PAP)*

4x per week

Oct. 6

Philadelphia (PHL)

Daily

Nov. 17

Santo Domingo (SDQ)*

3x per week

Oct. 6

Raleigh-Durham (RDU)

Daily

Nov. 17

Barranquilla (BAQ)*

Daily

Nov. 17

San Pedro Sula (SAP)*

3x per week

Nov. 18

Boston (BOS)

Daily

Nov. 17

San Juan (SJU)

Daily

Nov. 17

Cali (CLO)*

Daily

Nov. 17

Tegucigalpa-Palmerola (XPL)*

4x per week

Nov. 17

Chicago O’Hare (ORD)

Daily

Nov. 17

San José, C.R. (SJO)*

4x per week

Jan. 5

Cleveland (CLE)

Daily

Nov. 17

San Salvador (SAL)*

3x per week

Jan. 6

Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)

Daily

Nov. 17

St. Thomas (STT)

3x per week

Jan. 6

Denver (DEN)

Daily

Nov. 17

*Subject to government approval.

Top Copyright Photo: N930NK operated the first flight to MIA. L. Apso.

MIA is first U.S. airport to test COVID-19 detector dogs

Miami International Airport has made this announcement:

As part of its ongoing effort to help stop the spread of COVID-19, Miami International Airport is now getting help from some furry new friends: detector dogs specially trained with protocols created by the Global Forensic and Justice Center (GFJC) at Florida International University (FIU).

Thanks to a resolution sponsored by Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kionne L. McGhee and approved by the Board of County Commissioners in March 2021, the Miami-Dade Aviation Department is partnering with the GFJC at FIU and American Airlines to host a 30-day COVID-19 detector dog pilot program at MIA, making it the first U.S. airport to test COVID-sniffing canines. The dogs are deployed at an employee security checkpoint.

Photo: From left to right: Dr. Kenneth G. Furton, FIU Provost and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Jose “Pepe” Diaz, Chairman, Board of County Commissioners, Miami-Dade County; Ralph Cutie, MIA Interim Director; Raquel Regalado, Commissioner, Board of County Commissioners; Kionne L. McGhee, Commissioner, Board of County Commissioners; and, Morris Copeland, Chief Community Services Officer, Miami-Dade County.

“This pandemic has pushed us to innovate to stop the spread. I applaud Commissioner McGhee and the County Commission for thinking outside the box with this initiative,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “We’re proud to do everything we can to protect our residents. I look forward to seeing how the airport tests their skills and expanding the pilot program to other County facilities.”

Detector dogs have the potential for immediate detection and response to the virus in public spaces like airports. After hundreds of training sessions at FIU’s Modesto Maidique Campus in Miami this year, the detector dogs achieved accuracy rates from 96 to 99 percent for detecting COVID-19 in published peer-reviewed, double-blind trials. After the pilot program ends in September, FIU will continue to work on the accuracy and specificity, which will assist in COVID variant detection, of the canine following scientifically validated methods.

“COVID-19 has reshaped the world and lifestyle we are used to,” said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kionne L. McGhee. “It has forced our businesses to become innovative in how they do business. It has forced our faith-based organizations and schools to bring forth a different approach to how congregations and students are taught. Even our families have had to readjust and become more creative in how they socialize and celebrate special occasions. Therefore, we must not stay behind in our approach to fighting the spread of this virus. I am proud to be the sponsor of a program that will bring about crucial life-saving benefits for our communities.”

The two dogs in the pilot program at MIA – Cobra (a Belgian Malinois) and One Betta (a Dutch Shepherd) – have been trained to alert to the scent of COVID-19. The virus causes metabolic changes in a person that result in the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The VOCs are excreted by a person’s breath and sweat, producing a scent that trained dogs can detect. The metabolic changes are common for all people, regardless of their individual scents. If a dog indicates an individual is carrying the odor of the virus, that person is directed to get a rapid COVID test.

“Being able to apply decades of research in this way, to provide an additional layer of protection to airport employees at Miami International Airport, it’s humbling,” says Dr. Kenneth G. Furton, FIU Provost and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry. “These dogs are another valuable tool we can leverage to help us live with this ongoing pandemic.”

Numerous studies have demonstrated that detector dogs are one of the most reliable tools available to identify substances based on the odors they emit. Previous studies include demonstrating that detector dogs can reliably detect persons that have diseases, such as diabetes, epilepsy, and certain cancers. Detector dogs have long been used by federal and local agencies at MIA to detect prohibited currency, drugs, explosives, and agriculture.

“The COVID-19 detector dog pilot program is the latest effort by MIA to serve as a test bed for new innovations in safety and security,” said MIA Interim Director Ralph Cutié. “We are proud to do our part in the fight against COVID-19, and we hope to see this pilot program potentially benefit the rest of Miami-Dade County and airports across the country.”

American to add new routes from the Miami hub this winter

American Airlines has made this announcement for its Miami International Airport (MIA) hub:

  • American strengthens its presence at MIA with two new international destinations in Mexico and Colombia in December.
  • Six new domestic routes launch this winter, further connecting South Florida to the broadest global network.
  • By the end of the year, American will offer more than 130 nonstop destinations from MIA, the most of any carrier.

This winter, American Airlines will continue to grow its footprint at its largest international gateway, Miami International Airport (MIA), adding two new international destinations and six new domestic routes. With today’s announcement, American further solidifies its position as the largest airline at MIA, operating 341 peak daily flights this winter.

San Andres Island, Colombia (ADZ)

San Andres Island, Colombia (ADZ)

Better connectivity to Latin America and the Caribbean

In December, the carrier will launch two new international routes from MIA: Chetumal, Mexico (CTM); and San Andres Island, Colombia (ADZ). With these new routes, American will serve 28 destinations in Mexico – the most of any U.S. carrier – and seven in Colombia.

 

Destination Frequency Flights Begin
ADZ Wednesdays and Saturdays Dec. 4
CTM Wednesdays and Saturdays Dec. 1

Photo: Miami International Airport.

Six new ways to head south this winter

This winter, American’s customers will enjoy the sun, sand and the world-famous nightlife of South Florida on their terms with the most options and convenient schedule of any airline. The carrier is adding daily seasonal service between MIA and Salt Lake City (SLC); and seasonal Saturday service to Albany, New York (ALB); Burlington, Vermont (BTV); Madison, Wisconsin (MSN); Syracuse, New York (SYR); and Tulsa, Oklahoma (TUL).

 

Destination Frequency Flights Operate
ALB Saturdays Nov. 6 – April 2
BTV Saturdays Nov. 6 – April 2
MSN Saturdays Nov. 6 – April 2
SLC Daily Dec. 16 – April 4
SYR Saturdays Nov. 6 – April 2
TUL Saturdays Year-round beginning Nov. 6

 

In addition to these new routes, current daily seasonal service Oklahoma City (OKC) becomes year-round. Daily seasonal service between MIA and Des Moines, Iowa (DSM) and Milwaukee (MKE) will operate between Nov. 2 and April 4. Finally, year-round Saturday service to Fayetteville, Arkansas (XNA) begins Nov. 6.

Earlier this summer, American launched new, three-times-weekly service from MIA to Tel Aviv, Israel (TLV), as well as new domestic service to Huntsville, Alabama (HSV); Little Rock, Arkansas (LIT); Milwaukee (MKE); Portland, Maine (PWM); and Rochester, New York (ROC). Service between MIA and Bangor, Maine (BGR) launched July 3. Starting Sept. 7, American will also be the first and only U.S. carrier to offer nonstop service to Paramaribo, Suriname (PBM). Flights will operate five times per week with a convenient schedule for customers traveling across the United States to connect through MIA.

MIA sets a new record for cargo shipments in 2020

Miami International Airport set a new record for cargo volume in 2020 with 2.32 million tons, which was 57,382 more tons than its total in 2019.

MIA finished the year exceptionally strong with an average of 210,000 tons in October, November and December, making them the airport’s busiest months ever. MIA also ended 2020 with a record 59,000 cargo-only flights, which was nearly 8,000 more flights than in 2019.

As the busiest U.S. airport for international freight and perishable products, MIA continued to be a global hub for essential supplies and e-commerce throughout the pandemic. MIA was also uniquely prepared to be a leading air cargo hub for the COVID-19 vaccines, thanks to years of experience as the first airport in the Western Hemisphere and only the second in the world to be designated by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as a pharmaceutical freight hub in 2015. In 2020, MIA also won the Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain (AFLAS) award for the Best Airport in North America for Cargo – the third time MIA has received this award in the last five years.

“Our record-setting year would not have been possible without the strong partnership we share with each and every airline, federal agency and logistics provider that adapted and maintained their services throughout the pandemic. We are deeply grateful for their ongoing support and look forward to reaching even greater heights together in 2021, as we facilitate more essential trade and commerce across our region and the globe.”
Lester Sola, MIA Director and CEO

Some of Miami’s most famous voices will soon welcome passengers and visitors at MIA

Miami International Airport’s passengers and visitors will soon receive a warm welcome from some of Miami’s most recognizable voices.

World-renowned artists, athletes and local personalities have lent their voices to MIA in a new initiative to share the warmth and energy of our diverse and vibrant community.

Bringing the heat to this launch are NBA Champions Alonzo Mourning and Udonis Haslem along with Grammy-winning recording artist Willy Chirino and singer and telenovela star Jencarlos Canela.

“We thank all of the hometown personalities who are participating in this campaign which is representative of our diverse community,” said Lester Sola, MIA Director and CEO. “We are excited that our 45 million passengers will now be greeted by these celebrities who call Miami home.”

The messages will be heard on MIA’s overhead announcement system inside the terminals throughout the day on a rotating basis.

Follow us using #VoicesOfMIA and @iflymia

Stay tuned as more of Miami’s most iconic voices will soon be announced.

MIA wins approval for up to $5 billion in modernization projects

The Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners today adopted a new capital improvement program at Miami International Airport that will fund up to $5 billion in airport-wide modernization projects over the next five to 15 years, paving the way for future growth in passenger and cargo traffic at MIA – projected to reach 77 million travelers and more than four million tons of freight by the year 2040.

Renderings of a redeveloped Concourse F and an expanded, consolidated Central Terminal security checkpoint
Renderings of a redeveloped Concourse F and an expanded, consolidated Central Terminal security checkpoint
Renderings of a redeveloped Concourse F and an expanded, consolidated Central Terminal security checkpoint
Renderings of a redeveloped Concourse F and an expanded, consolidated Central Terminal security checkpoint

“MIA is Miami-Dade County’s leading economic engine and busiest gateway, generating nearly $31 billion in business revenue and welcoming 96 percent of all visitors to our community,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “The goal of this new capital program is for MIA to provide even greater value, convenience and efficiency to our visitors, airline partners and cargo operators.”

The comprehensive program is designed to address all of the airport’s future capacity and operational needs through five sub-programs that include: a redevelopment of Central Terminal concourses E and F; an expanded South Terminal (concourses H and J); renovated Concourse D gates to accommodate additional wide- and narrow-body aircraft, as well as larger regional jets; two new hotels (one which will include a business and conference center with exhibition space) and other miscellaneous landside projects; and expanded aircraft parking positions and warehouses for cargo operations.

The multi-billion-dollar program is the latest in a string of historic milestones for MIA, which celebrated its 90th anniversary last September. In 2018, MIA surpassed 45 million annual passengers for the first time ever – an increase of nearly one million over the previous year. The gateway of the Americas served 21.8 international passengers in 2018 – making it once again the busiest airport in Florida for international travelers and third-busiest U.S. gateway in that category. MIA continues to maintain its ranking as the busiest U.S. airport for international freight as well, setting a new record of 2.3 million total tons of freight in 2018 – up 60,000 tons from its 2017 total.