Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announces creation of MIA Forward Flight Team

Today, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced the creation of the MIA Forward Flight Team, a resident-driven group of industry experts that will enhance operations and improve the passenger experience at Miami International Airport (MIA).

MIA is the global gateway to Miami-Dade County, and one of the major engines of not only our local economy, but the state’s as well. Last year alone, MIA served over 55 million travelers, an increase of nearly 50% since 2021. Since Mayor Levine Cava took office, Miami-Dade County has launched a $9 billion Modernization in Action Plan to accelerate critical infrastructure projects across the airport. Mayor Levine Cava also launched the Lightning Crew to improve customer service and rapid repair response times. These ongoing efforts are delivering clear results: last year, MIA was named the most improved large airport in the nation for customer satisfaction.

“We’ve made historic investments at Miami International Airport, and you can already see the results,” said Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “With customer satisfaction up, record growth ahead and MIA’s biggest year yet on the horizon, this is the moment to raise the standard even higher and take the next bold step forward.”

The 14-member Team will swiftly begin a review of existing operations and identify key areas of opportunity for enhancement at MIA. The work of the task force will center on four key objectives:

1. Operational Excellence Addressing congestion, ride-share pick up, aging infrastructure, staffing shortages, customs efficiency, and on-time performance through data-driven reforms.
2. Passenger Experience & Innovation Modernizing terminals with smart technology, streamlined security, multilingual services, and hospitality-forward design reflective of Miami-Dade’s brand as a leading tourism destination.
3. Aesthetics, Beautification and Cultural Experiences (ABCs) Identifying immediate, short, mid and long term investments and launch programs that upgrade aesthetics, create even more opportunities for beautification and deploy cultural experiences throughout the airport. From swift pressure washing of our facades to partnerships with our cultural institutions to showcase local artists, we will double down on the ABCs to immediately enhance the airport experience for residents and visitors alike.
4. Brand Management Strengthening MIA’s brand through recruitment, training, and retention across aviation, security, customs, hospitality, and logistics workforce; and embracing global signature events like 2026 FIFA World Cup Miami by enhancing the brand and upgrading the customer experience.

The Team will be composed of the following appointees representing diverse perspectives across our tourism industry partners and workforce:

• Rolando Aedo, COO, Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Juan Alfonso, President and COO, CES Consultants
• Curtis Crider, President & CEO, Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association
• Daniel Diez, AIA, Project Director, Turner & Townsend-Heery
• Jerome Falic, CEO, Duty Free Americas
• Raymond Francois, Executive Director, New Vision Drivers Association of Florida, Inc.
• Yambeli Gomez, Florida Political Director, SEIU32BJ
• G. Eric Knowles, President & CEO, Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce
• JC Liscano, Vice President of Miami Hub Operations, American Airlines
• Andria Muniz-Amador, Chief of Staff and Senior Strategic Advisor for Marketing, Miami-Dade Aviation Department
• Lizzie Pittinger, Public Policy Associate, Uber
• Alfred Sanchez, President & CEO, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
• Franklin Sirmans, Sandra and Tony Tamer Director, Perez Art Museum
• Wendi Walsh, General Vice President, UNITE HERE International

The MIA Forward Flight Team will prepare a set of actionable deliverables within 180 days. This team will complement the Board of County Commissioner Chairman Anthony Rodriguez’s proposed advisory board as part of a shared effort to strengthen MIA.