Miami International Airport used to be famous for the hours-long lines passengers waited in when they arrived from other countries. These days, the nation’s second busiest airport for international traffic is hoping to be better known for the way it breezes travelers through a once-lengthy process – and connects them with better in-house amenities, including location-based alerts and, eventually, free Wi-Fi. The changes are underway thanks to past, current and planned investments of more than $10 million. The most recent upgrade came just two weeks ago, when MIA became the second airport in the country after Hartsfield�Jackson Atlanta International to roll out the Mobile Passport app. After downloading the app, U.S. citizens and qualified Canadians entering from abroad can create a profile and skip long lines after submitting customs and immigration information through their smartphone. Within the first few day’s of its launch, hundreds of passengers had used the app upon arrival. One of them was Louis Nicastro, 51, who downloaded the free app from the App Store when an airport employee told him about it. He stepped out of line at an automated passport kiosk so Debra Shore, expedited screening manager at MIA, could walk him through the process. “Smile!” she urged Nicastro as he took a selfie for his profile picture. It took about four minutes for him to download the app and create a profile, and another minute to input details about his trip from Trinidad and Tobago. Nicastro, who was returning home to Delaware, made it through immigration and out of customs within 22 minutes total – a process made longer because of the attention of Miami Herald journalists. “Anything that would quicken this process is awesome,” Nicastro said. Hans Miller, CEO of Airside Mobile, which developed the app, said his company has been impressed by the way MIA has promoted the option with giant signs and staff training. “We’ve really been blown away by their enthusiasm and their desire to make this resonate with passengers,” Miller said. The mobile app joins a solution that has been in place since late 2013, when the airport installed 36 self-service automated passport kiosks to help ease waits that at one point lasted five hours. By the end of April, 44 more kiosks – which can be used by U.S. and Canadian citizens, permanent legal residents and travelers from visa-waiver countries – will be in use. The total cost of the kiosks is $6 million, which includes equipment, operations, maintenance and infrastructure. “We’re doing everything we possibly can to bring technology into this airport,” said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Emilio T. Gonzalez. “We’re pushing it out every way we can. Our goal is to have Joe traveler come through here and not make those horrendous lines that we became famous for last year.” An average of 7,000-8,000 passengers a day – a quarter of all travelers arriving at MIA...
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Show viewers that your brand is on the cutting edge with Interactive Airport Advertising’s Prestige Digital Units (PDU). Combining up-to-the-minute technology and unrivaled campaign flexibility, our PDUs make up The Prestige Digital Network, which is comprised of fully-digital, high definition double-sided 70” LCD screens. Each unit is situated in head-on positions in order to guarantee that this premium advertising medium is seen by all arriving and departing passengers throughout the airport. The Prestige Digital Network is the only network of its kind in any airport in the U.S. PDUs can host fully or semi-animated creatives that allow advertisers to provide a service to passengers (weather, news, sports highlights, local traffic – the options are endless) so travelers can associate directly with the advertiser’s brand. Creatives can be changed as often as needed to promote monthly or daily messages, providing flexibility to the...
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Make sure your carry-on bag will fit in the overhead. Plan your outfits. Use versatile pieces that you can wear more than once. Roll your clothes. With the exception of jeans which you will want to fold flat and place at the bottom of your bag; rolled clothes take up much less room than folded clothes. Use gallon sized zipper bags. Once your clothes are rolled you can fit an entire outfit in a gallon bag. Rolling, using a bag, and pressing the air out while closing will save space. You can fill the bags by like items instead of by outfit as well. Use snack size zipper bags for your jewelry. I put one piece of jewelry per bag. Remember to only take the jewelry that will go with your selected outfits. These small bags can be put in the larger bag to keep your jewelry with your outfit. Or they can easily be tucked in the side pockets. Shoes can take up a lot of room so choose wisely. Flats can fit in pockets or be tucked around the sides. I like to put my shoes in a plastic grocery bag to keep everything clean. Wear your largest item. Wear your of boots or sneakers instead of packing them. Can you purchase your hair care products at your destination? If I don’t have to pack it I won’t. Use a large tote as your personal item. This will count as your purse or laptop bag. I have a large bag that can fit my small purse, liquids in a clear baggie, a sweater, laptop, Kindle, phone, chargers, snack, water, etc. It’s heavy but I plop it on my carry-on and drag them through the airport. When you get home from your trip empty the gallon bags and leave them in your carry-on for your next...
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Comcast went full power ahead in its remodel of the Reagan National Airport power poles. The update designed offers simultaneously streaming video in 22 different locations throughout the airports 3 terminals. Charging Stations provide an exclusive branding opportunity. They provide passengers an easy way to charge their handheld devices, tablets, and laptops at no cost to them. These stations are customizable and they are highly visible at 8 feet tall. They are located in key dwelling areas and gatehold lounges. This opportunity gives you a unique chance to positively interact with over 357 million annual passengers! Contact us for details.Would you like to enhance your brand by advertising on the 25 power poles in Reagan National Airport? Contact Carolyn@tomsawyercompany.com or call...
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Some big changes are in store for Terminal A at Reagan National Airport. The 40+ year old terminal will be getting the airport’s first full-service spa, plus new restaurants and stores, as part of a “comprehensive physical upgrade to the facility,” the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority announced last night. Read...
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