MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - Ahead of a busy and potentially stressful holiday travel season for many, more than 150 local children with disabilities prepared for travel through Miami International Airport’s latest Instruction and Readiness tour.
The airport set up a tour of an airline through its program, MIA Air, to teach the children the ins and outs of travel, so they are ready for takeoff once the date arrives.
Participants said they rehearsed the entire air travel process.
“Checking in, going through the security checkpoints, and then making our way to the gate, which is gate J15,” said participant Emmanuel.
After arriving at their designated gate, the students boarded a LATAM airplane and took their seats.
7News cameras captured the excited children with all smiles as they waved to the camera.
Child traveler Lucas Pulido told 7News that while he was scared at first, he eased right into it.
“I was like scared because I’m scared of heights, [but now] I’m not scared anymore,” he said.
For parents, like Marcel Pulido, he said it’s an opportunity for the children to learn and grow.
“This inclusive experience gives us the feeling that we know now what they’re going to experience, what it’s going to be like for them to come on board and have that first experience before an actual flight,” he said.
Airport officials hope the program builds children’s confidence and reduces their anxiety of walking through an airport and boarding a plane.
“What I hope the kids take away from this is the joy of travel. The joy of going through an airport, getting on an airplane. The excitement that we all feel when we’re going to travel someplace new,” said MIA Director and CEO Ralph Cutie.
Since 2015, the program has hosted over 300 children to prepare them and their families for the real world of travel.
“It’s a whole culture of inclusion, of saying, ‘We welcome you. We want you to feel comfortable and relaxed when you travel at the airport,’ and as we heard, practice makes perfect,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
While Wednesday’s tour was only a mock travel day with no actual takeoff, it was a huge step that may lead to a real journey.
When asked where he would like to travel to first, Lucas said, “New York.”
After their mock onboarding, the students and parents got off the plane with applause and cheers from the pilot and flight attendants.
Officials say that ahead of the holiday season, the program makes traveling less stressful and more accessible for everyone.
For more information on the program, click here.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.