MIAMI — With the busiest travel days of the year underway, a record 81.8 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home for Thanksgiving, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
They say most travelers will hit the road, while millions more take to the skies.
The most hectic day at airports nationwide is expected to be Sunday, traditionally the day TSA screens the most passengers ahead of the holiday.
FAA officials say Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Miami rank as the top three destinations for Thanksgiving travelers this year — meaning South Florida’s airports are bracing for heavy crowds.
To help families prepare, Miami International Airport this week offered a dress rehearsal of sorts for parents traveling with children who have special needs.
The program, known as MIAair — short for Airport Instruction and Readiness — gives children with disabilities the chance to practice the steps involved in air travel long before their actual flight.
The walk-through includes everything from receiving boarding passes to waiting in security lines, interacting with TSA agents, placing belongings in screening bins, speaking with gate agents and finally boarding a parked aircraft.
For many children with autism, Down syndrome or other developmental disabilities, the unfamiliar routines and sensory overload of an airport can be overwhelming — often discouraging families from flying altogether.
“We’ve kind of been hesitant to do it because of Joey and him having autism,” said Cecilia Garcia, who plans to fly with her son for the first time this holiday season.
Garcia said the most challenging part for Joey was the security checkpoint.
“It’s a lot of waiting in line and a lot of just standing there. He doesn’t understand why we’re giving them our bags, why we have to wait for our bags,” she added.
Catherine Duarte, a therapist who works with children with special needs, said preparation is essential.
“Something you and I can learn on the fly, on the go — they have to have it drilled into them,” she said.
Practicing in person, she added, helps children connect what they’ve learned at home with the real-world experience of an airport.
During rehearsal, parents said they left feeling more confident about their upcoming holiday travel.
“Now we’re more calm and not as anxious about him being anxious,” Joey’s father said with a laugh.
MIAair, now in its 10th year, continues to help South Florida families navigate one of the most stressful parts of the holiday season. More information about the program is available with this link.
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