Miami International Airport

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Coordinates: 25°47′36″N 080°17′26″W / 25.79333°N 80.29056°W / 25.79333; -80.29056

Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport terminal
IATA: MIA – ICAO: KMIA – FAA: MIA
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		Miami-Dade County
Operator		Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD)
Serves		Miami, Florida
Elevation AMSL		8 ft / 2 m
Website		http://www.iflymia.com/
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
8L/26R	8,600	2,621	Asphalt
8R/26L	10,506	3,202	Asphalt
9/27	13,000	3,962	Asphalt
12/30	9,354	2,851	Asphalt
Statistics (2008)
Aircraft operations
Based aircraft			56
Passengers			34,063,531
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Miami International Airport (IATA: MIA, ICAO: KMIA, FAA LID: MIA) also called Wilcox Field, is the main airport serving the Miami Metropolitan Area. The airport is located eight miles (13 km) northwest of the central business district of Miami, in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States.^[1] It is between the cities of Miami, Hialeah, Doral, and Miami Springs, the village of Virginia Gardens, and the unincorporated community of Fountainbleau. In September 2008, the airport regained its title as the busiest in Florida.^[2]

The airport is a hub for passenger airlines American Airlines, Executive Airlines under the American Eagle name , Gulfstream International Airlines under the Continental Connection name; cargo airlines Arrow Air, UPS Airlines and FedEx Express; and charter airline Miami Air. Miami International Airport handles flights to cities throughout the Americas and Europe, as well as cargo flights to Asia, and is South Florida's main airport for long-haul international flights, although most domestic and low-cost carriers use Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Palm Beach International Airport, which charge significantly lower fees to tenant airlines.

Miami is a major gateway between the United States and Latin America, and, along with Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, Miami is one of the largest aerial gateways into the American South, owing to its proximity to tourist attractions, local economic growth, large local Latin American and European populations, and strategic location to handle connecting traffic between North America, Latin America, and Europe. In the past, it has been a hub for Braniff International, Eastern Air Lines, Air Florida, the original National Airlines, the original Pan Am, United Airlines, and Iberia. As an international gateway to the United States it ranks third, behind New York-JFK in New York City and LAX in Los Angeles. Miami is also the proposed hub of two new start-up airlines, one which hopes to use the Eastern Airlines name.^[3]

In 2007, 33,740,416 passengers traveled through the airport.^[4]

In the first 10 months of 2007 more international passengers boarded U.S. carriers at Miami International than at any other U.S. airport.^[5]

[edit] History

Pan Am's first terminal consisted of a single hangar. The airport was the base of Pan Am's flights to Cuba, but fell into disuse when the airline switched to seaplanes in the mid-1930s.

Satellite view of the airport in 1999

The airport was opened to flights in 1928 as Pan American Field, the operating base of Pan American Airways Corporation, on the north side of the modern airport property. After Pan Am acquired the New York, Rio, and Buenos Aires Line, it shifted most of its operations to the Dinner Key seaplane base, leaving Pan Am Field largely unused until Eastern Air Lines began flying there in 1934, followed by National Airlines in 1937.

In 1945, the City of Miami established a Port Authority and raised bond revenue to purchase the airport, which had meanwhile been renamed 36th Street Airport, from Pan Am. It was merged with an adjoining Army airfield in 1949 and expanded further in 1951. The old terminal on 36th Street was closed in 1959 when the modern passenger terminal (since greatly expanded) opened for service.

Air Force Reserve troop carrier and rescue squadrons also operated from Miami International from 1949 through 1959, when the last such unit relocated to nearby Homestead Air Force Base, now Homestead Air Reserve Base.

Pan Am and Eastern remained Miami International Airport's main tenants until 1991, when both carriers went bankrupt. Their hubs at MIA were taken over by United Airlines and American Airlines. United slowly trimmed down its Miami operation through the 1990s, and eventually shut down its crew base and other operations facilities in Miami. At the same time, American expanded its presence at the airport, winning new routes to Latin America and transferring employees and equipment from its failed domestic hubs at Nashville and Raleigh-Durham. Today, Miami is American's largest air freight hub, and forms the main connecting point in the airline's north-south oriented international route network.

For many years, the airport was a common connecting point for passengers traveling from Europe to Latin America. However, stricter visa requirements for aliens in transit (a result, in part, of the September 11, 2001 attacks) have lessened MIA's role as an intercontinental connecting hub. In 2004, Iberia Airlines ended its hub operation in Miami, opting instead to run more direct flights from Spain to Central America. Air France still has flights to Port-au-Prince using smaller Airbus A320 and Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft.^{[citation needed]}

Gulfstream International Airlines, Sky King Airlines, American Eagle and American Airlines all operate regular flights between MIA and several airports in Cuba, the one of the few direct airlink between the two nations. However, these flights must be booked through agents with special authorization from the Office of Foreign Assets Control, and are only generally available to government officials, journalists, researchers, professionals attending conferences, or expatriates visiting Cuban family.

[edit] Facilities and aircraft

Miami International Airport covers an area of 3,300 acres (1,335 ha) which contains four runways:^[1]

• Runway 8L/26R: 8,600 x 150 ft (2,621 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
• Runway 8R/26L: 10,506 x 200 ft (3,202 x 61 m), Surface: Asphalt
• Runway 9/27: 13,000 x 150 ft (3,962 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
• Runway 12/30: 9,354 x 150 ft (2,851 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 384,537 aircraft operations, an average of 1,053 per day: 77% scheduled commercial, 17% air taxi, 6% general aviation and <1% military. There are 345 aircraft based at this airport: 7% single-engine, 35% multi-engine and 58% jet.^[1]

[edit] Terminal, airlines, and destinations

A satellite image of Miami International Airport superimposed over the old 36th Street airfield

Destinations with direct service from Miami

The main terminal at MIA dates back to 1959, with several new additions. Semicircular in shape, the terminal has eight pier-shaped concourses, lettered counter-clockwise from A to J (B was demolished in 2005; Letter I was skipped to avoid confusion with the number 1). From the terminal's opening until the mid-1970s, the concourses were originally numbered clockwise from 1 to 6.

Level 1 of the terminal contains baggage carousels and ground transportation access. Level 2 contains ticketing/check-in, shopping and dining, and access to the concourses. The airport currently has two immigration and customs facilities, located in Concourse E, Level 1 and in Concourse J, Level 3. Gates in Concourses A, D, E, and J, and most in F and some in H, can route passengers to either the main concourse on Level 2 (for domestic arrivals), or to the immigration and customs halls on Level 3 (for international arrivals). However, all gates at Concourses C and G, Gates F4, F6, F8, and most gates in Concourse H are designed only for domestic arrivals. MIA is unique among American airports in that all of its facilities are common-use, meaning that they are assigned by the airport and no one airline holds ownership or leases on any terminal space or gates, thus giving the airport much more flexibility in terminal and gate assignments and allowing it to make full use of existing facilities. The entire airport became common-use by the 1990s.

The airport is served by three parking facilities: a two-level short-term parking lot located directly in front of Concourse E, and two seven-story parking garages (Dolphin and Flamingo) located within the terminal's curvature and connected to the terminal via overhead walkways on Level 3. In the late 1990s, the Dolphin Garage was expanded to better serve the then-new Concourse A; it is expected that the Flamingo Garage will be similarly expanded in the near future to serve the new Concourse J. The two parking garages are connected at their westernmost end; at the top of this connection are the airport's SIDA and ID Section offices, as well as a pair of helipads. The single terminal facility is divided into three sections known as the North Terminal, Central Terminal, and South Terminal.

At present, the terminal is undergoing a dramatic transformation, the largest ever undertaken on any operating airport. Concourses A, C, and D, which currently serve American Airlines and its regional affiliates, are being merged into a single linear concourse, to be designated Concourse D and called the North Terminal. Portions of the new North Terminal have already been built as extensions of Concourses A and D; to make space for the remaining portions, Concourse B was demolished in 2005 and Concourse C is slated for demolition by 2010.^[6] Although this construction was originally slated for completion in 2005, it has been delayed several times due to cost overruns. The current substantial completion date is the first quarter of 2011.^[7] With sections of the terminal opening in phases, a significant majority of the structure has already been completed and opened for airline use. Once the entire project is finished, the North Terminal will house American Airlines and its oneworld alliance partners. Currently, American Airlines is spread between Concourses C, D, and E, while its alliance partners use either Concourse F or Concourse J.

The South Terminal is located at the other end of the terminal, and is comprised of Concourse H and Concourse J, the latter of which opened on August 29, 2007.(photo) The new addition is seven stories tall and has 15 international-capable gates, and a total floor area of 1.3 million square feet (120,000 m²), including two airline lounges and several offices. Concourse H will serve Delta Air Lines and its partners in the SkyTeam alliance, while Concourse J will serve United Airlines and its partners in the Star Alliance.

The remaining Concourses E, F, and G make up the Central Terminal. Aside from some minor changes in signage, the three concourses are remaining relatively untouched. Upon completion of the North Terminal project, the Central Terminal will be used to house airlines not affiliated with any of the "big three" airline alliances as well as the low-cost carriers the airport hopes to attract.

Fire protection at the airport is provided by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department^[8] Station 12.^[9]

[edit] Concourse A

Gates A2-A26

Concourse A was a recent addition to the airport, opening in two phases between 1995 and 1998. The concourse will eventually form part of American Airlines' North Terminal. Between 1995 and 2007, the concourse housed many of American Airlines' domestic and international flights, as well as those of many European and Latin American carriers. American Airlines operated an Admirals Club in Concourse A; likewise, British Airways ran a Terraces Lounge. Both lounges will re-open when Concourse A is once again in use.

On November 9, 2007, Concourse A was temporarily closed as part of the North Terminal Development Project. It has been closed in order to speed up completion of the North Terminal project, as well as facilitate the addition of the Automated People Mover (APM) system that will span the length of the North Terminal. Concourse A will reopen in the second quarter of 2010 as an extension of Concourse D, with gates numbered from D1 to D20. In the first quarter of 2011, it will regain its capacity to handle international arrivals.

[edit] Concourse B

Aerial view of the airport

Concourse B was constructed in the 1970s for Eastern Air Lines as part of the airport's ambitions "Program 70's" initiative. During the 1980s, an extension was added and a new immigration and customs hall was built in the Concourse B section of the terminal, allowing the concourse to process international arrivals. Along with Concourse C and most of Concourse D, it served as Eastern Air Lines' historical base of operations. After Eastern's shutdown in 1991, it was used by a variety of European and Latin American airlines, and would eventually have American Airlines as its sole tenant. The concourse was closed in 2004 and torn down the following year as part of the North Terminal Development project. The immigration and customs hall remained open until 2007, when it was closed along with Concourse A.

[edit] Concourse C

Concourse C is one of the terminal's original 1959 concourses, having first opened as Concourse 6. In the 1960s, a second floor was added and the concourse was air conditioned. Since then, the concourse has changed little. Once consisting of Gates C1-C10, the construction of American Airlines' baggage sorting facility on the west side of the concourse has seen its capacity reduced to just four gates, each of which are capable of accommodating small-to-medium jet aircraft from the Boeing 737 up to the Airbus A300. American uses these gates for domestic flights and some international departures, though the concourse cannot process international arrivals.

The Concourse C check-in area within the terminal is currently used for American Airlines first-class passengers and Caribbean flights, while the Concourse C baggage claim area is currently used for American's domestic flights. Along with Concourse B and most of Concourse D, the concourse served as Eastern Air Lines' historical base of operations.

As part of the North Terminal Development project, Concourse C will be demolished by 2010, allowing for the creation of new gates where the concourse currently stands. Accordingly, Gate C3 has been already been closed and its jet bridge removed, pending the opening of Gates D24 and D25 in the second quarter of 2009.

[edit] Concourse C Ticket Counters

Located between Concourses C and D

• American Airlines – Caribbean and First Class check-in

[edit] Concourse C Gate Usage

Gates C5, C7, C9

[edit] Concourse D

Concourse D is another of the airport's original 1959 concourses, having opened as Concourse 5. Receiving modifications similar to that of Concourse C during the 1960s, it was completely rebuilt in the 1980s and connected to the immigration and customs hall in Concourse E, allowing it to handle international arrivals. The gates on the east side of the concourse were closed by the mid-2000s in order to make room for new gates being constructed as part of the North Terminal Development project. In 2004, a new extension to the west was opened, and all of the concourse's gates were renumbered (for example, Gate D10 became Gate D35). In 2008, Gates D31-D32 were closed for renovation, and a new enlarged security checkpoint was opened between Concourses C and D to serve the two piers.

American uses the concourse for both domestic and international flights and operates an Admirals Club within the concourse. Landside, Level 1 of the concourse contains baggage claim for American domestic flights. The check-in area serves Latin America, Europe, and domestic flights, offering self-check-in facilities. Along with Concourses B and C, the concourse once served as Eastern Air Lines' historical base of operations. Additionally, gates at the far end of Concourse D were used by Braniff for their Latin American operations up until their shutdown in 1982. Air Florida also used common-use Gates D4 and D12 before the concourse's rebuild in the 1980s.

[edit] Concourse D Ticket Counters

American Airlines planes at Concourse D.

Located between Concourses D and E

• American Airlines - Latin American/Europe and Domestic Check-in, Self Check-in
• American Eagle

[edit] Concourse D Gate Usage

Gates D24-D51

[edit] Concourse E

Model of a Pan Am flying boat in Concourse E

Concourse E also dates back to the terminal's 1959 opening, and was originally known as Concourse 4. From the start, it was the airport's only international concourse, containing its own immigration and customs facilities. It underwent the same renovations as the other four original concourses in the 1960s. In 1976, the International Satellite Terminal opened across from Concourse E. Featuring Gates E20-E35 ("High E"), the satellite added 12 international gates capable of handling the largest jet aircraft as well as an international intransit lounge for arriving international passengers connecting to other international flights. The concourse and its satellite were briefly linked by buses until the airport's only automated people mover opened in the late 1970s. At the same time, Concourse E's immigration and customs facilities were radically overhauled and expanded. In the 1980s, the original portion of Concourse E ("Low E") was also rebuilt to match its satellite.

Since then, both portions of the concourse have seen little change. Gate E3 was closed in the 1990s to accommodate a connector between Concourses D and E. In the mid-2000s, the Low E and High E security checkpoints were expanded and merged into one, finally linking the entire concourses. At the same time, Gates E32, E34, and E35 were closed to make way for a second parallel taxiway between the Concourse D extension and Concourse E. The concourse features an Admirals Club and a recently reopened Flagship Lounge exclusively for first-class passengers. Concourse E also contains the Central Terminal's immigration and customs halls.

The seven story Miami-International Airport hotel and many Miami-Dade Aviation Department executive offices are located in the Concourse E portion of the terminal. Level 1 houses the Customs E Greeter's Lobby, car rental agency counters, baggage re-check for connecting international passengers, the Public Bus Terminal, and two domestic baggage carousels. Level 2 is used for check-in by American Eagle and several Latin American carriers. Concourse E, along with Concourse F, was once the historical base of operations for Pan Am and many of MIA's international carriers. Before Low E's rebuild, common-use Gates E8, E10, and E12 were used by Air Florida for its international flights, as well as the entirely-common-use gates in High E.

[edit] Concourse E Ticket Counters

Located between Concourses E and F

• Aeroméxico
• Air Europa
• Alaska Airlines
• British Airways
• Cayman Airways
• Mexicana

[edit] Concourse E Gate Usage

[edit] "Low E"

Gates E1-E11

Special Authority Cuban Charters operate from Low E

American Airlines Boeing 757s at the North Terminal.

[edit] "High E"

Gates E20-E33

[edit] Concourse F

Concourse F dates back to 1959 and was originally known as Concourse 3. Touched up in the 1960s just like the other original concourses, Concourse F did not witness a radical rebuild until the 1980s. The 1980s expansion added new departure lounges for Gates F3, F5, F7, and F9, and added widebody Gates F10-F23 at the far end of the pier. The new gates were all capable of processing international arrivals, and also featured another international intransit lounge. Currently, the concourse largely remains in its 1980s state, and is part of the Central Terminal area.

Level 1 of the Concourse F portion of the terminal is used for domestic baggage claim and cruise line counters. Level 2 contains check-in facilities for European carriers. The south side of the concourse was used by Northeast Airlines until its 1972 merger with Delta Air Lines. Likewise, National Airlines flew out of the north side of Concourse F until its 1980 merger with Pan Am, which continued to use the concourse until its 1991 shutdown. When United Airlines acquired Pan Am's Latin American operations, the airline carried on operating a focus city out of Concourse F until completely dismantling in the early 2000s. From 1993 to 2004, Concourse F was also used by Iberia for its Miami focus city operation, which linked Central American capitals to Madrid using MIA as the connecting point; Iberia continues to fly from the concourse. Air Florida also used common-use gates F4, F6, and F8 during the 1980s.

[edit] Concourse F Ticket Counters

Located between Concourses F and G

• Aerosur
• Avior Airlines
• Gulfstream International Airlines (Cuba Charters)
• Iberia Airlines
• Martinair
• Santa Barbara Airlines
• Sun Country
• Virgin Atlantic

[edit] Concourse F Gate Usage

Gates F1-F23

[edit] Concourse G

Concourse G is the second of the airport's two original 1959 terminals that have largely remained in their original states, save for the 1960s renovations that the entire airport underwent. Like Concourse C, it is not capable of handling international arrivals, though it is frequently used for departing international charters. There are currently no plans for its renovation.

A Panoramic View of Concourses G and H, as well as the new Concourse J, from the south

[edit] Concourse G Ticket Counters

Located between Concourses G and H

• AirTran Airways
• Allegiant Air
• Continental Airlines
  • Continental Connection operated by Gulfstream International Airlines
• Miami Air International
• Sky King

[edit] Concourse G Gate Usage

Gates G1-G19

Note: All flights to Cuba are operated as scheduled Special Authority Charters

[edit] Concourse H

Concourse H was the 20th Street Terminal's first extension, originally built in 1961 as Concourse 1 for Delta Air Lines, which remains in the concourse to this day.

In the late 1970s, a commuter satellite terminal was built just to the east of the concourse. Known as "Gate H2", it featured seven parking spaces (numbered H2a through H2g) designed to handle smaller commuter aircraft. The concourse still contains remnants of signage directing passengers to these now-demolished gates.

The concourse was dramatically renovated during the mid-1990s, to match the style of the then-new Concourse A. A third floor was added to the concourse, containing moving walkways, in order to facilitate access to gates at the far end of the terminal. The H1 Bus Station and Gates H3-H11 were completely rebuilt, and the H2 commuter satellite had jetways installed. Due to financial difficulties, "headhouse" gates H12-H20A were left in their original states.

With the construction of the Concourse J extension in the 2000s, the H2 commuter satellite was demolished. In 2007, with the opening of the South Terminal's immigration and customs facilities, the third floor of Concourse H was closed off and converted into a "sterile circulation" area for arriving international passengers. Gates H4, H6, H8, and H10 were made capable of handling international arrivals, and currently serve Copa Airlines, Air France, and Alitalia. At the same time, headhouse gates H16, H17, H18, H20, and H20A were closed to allow for the construction of a second parallel taxiway leading to the new Concourse J. Gate H19 has since been renumbered to Gate H17.

There are plans to convert Gates H12 and H15 into additional international-capable gates, but the concourse does not yet require their use. Instead, the airport is focusing on completing the long-delayed North Terminal project.

Concourse H historically served as the base of operations for Piedmont's Miami focus city and US Air Express's commuter operations. Furthermore, Air Florida also used the concourse's two common-use gates in the 1980s as well as ramp space at the H2 commuter terminal. Concourse H continues to serve original tenant Delta Air Lines, which uses all but one of the gates on the west side of the pier.

[edit] Concourse H Ticket Counters

Located between Concourses G and H

• Bahamasair
• Continental Airlines

[edit] Concourse H Gate Usage

Gates H3-H17

[edit] Concourse J

Concourse J is a new concourse that opened on August 29, 2007 under Miami International Airport's South Terminal Renovation Project.^[11] The Concourse was designed by Carlos Zapata of Studio Carlos Zapata in New York, with M.G.E., one of the largest Hispanic owned architecture firms in Florida, as the architect of record; the Concourse holds Star Alliance and SkyTeam Members, though due to renovation closures at concourse A, it currently holds several oneWorld alliance and non-affiliated airlines. Together with Concourse H, this area has been deemed the "South Terminal". It will be the only pier at the airport able to accept the new Airbus A380 (currently the only two airlines to commit an A380 to MIA is Lufthansa and Air France, for the MIA-FRA and MIA-CDG routes) and has introduced a third customs and immigration facility at the airport, supplementing the ones at Concourses B and E. The new facilities have eased the overcrowding problems that have plagued the Concourse E immigration facilities since new US entry laws came into effect in late 2003. Once the North and South Terminals are both completed, all airlines not affiliated with either the Star Alliance, SkyTeam (South Terminal) alliances, or oneWorld alliance (North Terminal) will be housed at the remaining Concourses E, F and G.

[edit] Concourse J Ticket Counters

Located between Concourses H and J

• AeroGal
• Aerolíneas Argentinas
• Air Berlin
• Air Canada
• Air France
• Alitalia
• Avianca
• Caribbean Airlines
• Copa Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• LAN Airlines
• Lufthansa
• Lynx Air International
• Northwest Airlines
• Swiss International Air Lines
• TACA
• TAM Airlines
• United Airlines
• US Airways

[edit] Concourse J Gate Usage

Aerial view

Gates J2-J18

[edit] Charter Carriers

Most charter airlines have counters at Concourse F, and use gates at either Concourse F or G.

[edit] Ground transportation

Miami International Airport has direct public transport links to Miami-Dade Transit's Metrobus network, being served by routes 7, 37, 42, 57, 133, 236, 238, and J (110); free shuttles are also provided to and from the Miami Airport and Hialeah Market Stations on the Tri-Rail commuter rail line, which operates trains once every two hours on weekends and more frequently on weekdays. Both stations are close, within a 5 minute drive from the main terminal. MDT is currently planning to link the airport by people mover to the upcoming Miami Intermodal Center, which will provide access to Miami-Dade Metrorail, Tri-Rail, Amtrak, and well as the future BayLink light rail to South Beach.

Taxis, shuttle services, limousines, and rental cars are available as well, as is the case in most other airports. Taxis and shuttles provide flat rates to popular destinations within Miami, such as the beaches or the city center.

Approximate time and cost to city center:

• Metro Bus: $2.00 ($1.00 reduced fare), approximately 35–40 minutes via Route 7 (east).
• Super Shuttle: $14.00, time depends on stops.
• Taxi fare: $21.70, approximately 20–30 minutes.

[edit] Cargo

The airport is one of the largest in terms of cargo in the United States,^[12] and is the main connecting point for cargo between Latin America and the world^{[citation needed]}. It is first in International freight and fourth in total freight for 2007. In 2000, LAN Cargo opened up a major operations base at the airport and currently operates the second largest cargo facility at the airport second to UPS^{[citation needed]}. Most major passenger airlines, such as American Airlines use the airport to carry belly cargo on passenger flights though most cargo is operated through cargo only airlines. UPS Airlines, FedEx Express, and DHL, all operate their major Latin American operations through MIA.

[edit] Cargo airlines

[edit] New Services

• AeroRepública intends to begin flights to Bogotá and Medellin in 2009.^[13] However, they have not yet filed an application with the DOT.
• Air Dominicana will begin daily service to Santo Domingo on September 1, 2009.
• Air Europa will begin daily service to Madrid on March 19, 2010.
• Air France will begin to use the Airbus A380 on their route to Paris, in spring 2010.
• Finnair will begin seasonal once-weekly service to Helsinki on November 9, 2009.
• Westjet will begin seasonal service to Toronto on October 21, 2009.

[edit] Incidents and accidents

Airline crashes involving MIA include:

• On April 25, 1951 Cubana de Aviación Flight 493, a Douglas DC-4 en route from Miami, Florida to Havana, Cuba, collides in mid-air with a United States Navy Beech SNB-1 Kansan off Key West. All 43 aboard both aircraft are killed.
• On February 1, 1957, Miami-bound Northeast Airlines Flight 823 crashed on take-off from New York's LaGuardia Airport.
• On January 6, 1960, National Airlines Flight 2511, a Douglas DC-6B bound from New York to Miami, crashes near Bolivia, North Carolina, when a bomb planted on board explodes in mid-air. All 34 people on board are killed.
• On February 12, 1963, Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 705 crashed into the Everglades while en route from Miami to Portland, Oregon via Chicago O'Hare, Spokane, and Seattle.
• On December 29, 1972, Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, a Lockheed L-1011, crashed into the Everglades (the subject of Hollywood movie, The Ghost Of Flight 401).
• On January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90, a Boeing 737, crashed in Washington, D.C.. The aircraft had flown up from Miami on a flight earlier that day.
• On January 1, 1985 Eastern Air Lines Flight 980, a Boeing 727, crashed into the mountains in Bolivia. The plane originated in Asunción and was bound to Miami via La Paz, Bolivia and Guayaquil.
• On December 20, 1995, American Airlines Flight 965 crashed into a mountain while en route from Miami to Cali.
• On May 11, 1996, ValuJet Flight 592 crashed into the Everglades after take-off from Miami en route to Atlanta.
• On October 2, 1996, Aeroperú Flight 603 crashed after takeoff from Lima, Peru. The flight, which originated in Miami, was continuing to Santiago, Chile.
• On August 7, 1997, Fine Air 101, a Douglas DC-8 cargo plane, crashed onto NW 72nd Avenue less than a mile (1.6 km) from the airport.
• On February 2, 1998, two Skyway Enterprises Shorts 330-200 aircraft (N2630A and N2629Y) were damaged beyond repair by a tornado at Miami International Airport. Both aircraft had to be written off. No one was injured.^[14]
• On December 22, 2001, American Airlines Flight 63, en route from Paris to Miami, was the target of "shoe bomber" Richard Reid.
• On December 7, 2005, forty-four year old Rigoberto Alpizar, a passenger aboard American Airlines Flight 924, claimed to have a bomb in his carry-on luggage while boarding the flight's second leg to Orlando, Florida after arriving on a flight from Quito, Ecuador; the flight had just arrived from Medellín, Colombia. Federal air marshals reportedly shot and killed the man as he attempted to escape the plane after being confronted onboard, marking the first time an air marshal has fired a weapon on or near an airplane.
• On August 31, 2006, US Airways Flight 431 from Charlotte caught fire on the runway. All 118 passengers and crew on board were evacuated safely and there were no injuries. The fire occurred in the left wheel well of the 737 after the tires blew upon landing, and was extinguished with foam by firefighters. Passengers have stated that the plane was shaking violently as it landed.^[15]

Satellite Transit Shuttle (STS) Accident:

• On November 8, 2008, the airport's automated people mover system overran it's stop at Concourse E and crashed into a buffer at the end of the track, injuring five people.^[16] The Miami Automated People Mover System is a Bombardier C-100 APM and was built in the late 1970s. Although it was scheduled for decommission in 2004, construction delays on the airport's North Terminal have resulted in continued operation of the system. In 2007, Bombardier expressed concerns about the safety of the system during a period of renewal of the operations and maintenance contract. In January 2008, Johnson Controls Inc was contracted to provide operations and maintenance for the system.^[17] The south train has remained inoperative since the accident, leaving the satellite terminal reliant on the sole north train.

[edit] In Popular Culture

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2008)

Miami International Airport has been used for scenes in many movies and TV shows, including:

• The 2002 videogame GTA Vice City features the airport as the 'Escobar International'.

• The 1980s television show Miami Vice had many airport scenes filmed on location at MIA.

• The 1992 film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York has Kevin's family stuck at Miami International on Christmas Eve as it is raining heavily in Miami.

• The 2002 film Big Trouble has a final chase scene that was filmed at MIA's Concourse C.

• The 2002 film Catch Me if You Can has Leonardo DiCaprio's character spending a little time in the terminal. However, Catch Me If You Can was actually filmed at the old terminal for Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California.

• The fall 2002 and 2007 installments of The Amazing Race (season 3 and season 11, respectively) began in Miami and had shots at MIA while teams booked and boarded flights (to Mexico City in season 3, and to Ecuador in season 11).

• The 2005 film Red Eye has a scene including the Miami International Airport. The scene takes place as Lisa is running from the police after her plane lands.

• The 2006 film Casino Royale has a major action sequence set at Miami International Airport, where James Bond foils a terrorist attempt to destroy a prototype airplane. The scenes, however, were filmed at Ruzyně International Airport near Prague, Czech Republic. Other exterior scenes (and the fire sprinklers going off) were filmed on the backlot of Pinewood Studios and Dunsfold Park, England.

• CSI: Miami mentions Miami International Airport occasionally in episodes and a few scenes have been filmed there.

[edit] Military use

The Army Air Force began using Miami Airport in the 1930s, assigning the 21st Reconnaissance Squadron to the airfield to fly search and rescue along with weather reconnaissance patrols.

After the Pearl Harbor attack and the United States entry into World War II, the Air Force's use of the airport changed to being a base for antisubmarine patrols, with the airport becoming the Headquarters, for the 26th Antisubmarine Wing of the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (AAFAC) from 20 November 1942-15 October 1943. The AAFAC flew antisubmarine patrols, searching for and attacking German U-Boats from the airport using B-18 Bolo and B-24 Liberator bombers specially equipped with RADAR.

After the war, Miami Airport became the home of numerous cargo and troop carrier units of the United States Air Force Reserve, the major one being the 435th Troop Carrier Group (later Wing), operating from the airport from July 1949 to February 1951, and again from December 1952 to December 1958.

[edit] See also

• Busiest airports in the United States by international passenger traffic
• Florida World War II Army Airfields

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Miami International Airport (official site)
• Miami International AirportPDF (501 KiB) brochure from CFASPP (September 2007)
• openNav: MIA / KMIA charts
• 25°47′36″N 80°17′26″W / 25.7933°N 80.2906°W / 25.7933; -80.2906
• FAA Airport Diagram(PDF), effective 2 July 2009
• Resources for this airport:
  • AirNav airport information for KMIA
  • ASN accident history for MIA
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for KMIA
  • FAA current MIA delay information

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