Public Relations and Airport

Adopt an Airport The Miami International Airport (code MIA) generates upwards of $30 billion in revenue per year, bringing in the vast majority (70%) of all international visitors to the entire state of Florida ("About Us," 2017). Therefore, MIA is a gateway airport to Florida and not just Miami. Furthermore, MIA is the gateway airport linking Latin America and the Caribbean with the United States, with more flights to and from these regions than any other airport in the United States ("About Us," 2017).

According to the Miami International Airport's own website, their goal is to become a "hemispheric hub," ("About Us," 2017). However, there are several impediments to MIA reaching its status, the main one being its outdated infrastructure and terminals, which are reflected in its outdated and clunky website. Organizational Structure Airports in the United States exhibit different types of organizational structure depending in part on their ownership.

Most airports in the United States (73%) have a senior manager whereas 13% have a fixed-base operator (FBO) as the airport manager (National Academies of Science, n.d., p. 3). Municipalities, counties, port authorities, and private owners may all have stakes in airports. MIA is fully owned by Miami-Dade County, specifically its Miami-Dade Aviation Department. At MIA, the airport more closely follows the organizational structure of a corporation with an Aviation Director as the senior manager.

With the Aviation Director at the helm, MIA's organizational structure also includes a Deputy Director, Chief of Staff, Chief Financial Officer, and a host of assistant directors ("Executive Leaders," n.d). Regardless of its internal organizational structure, MIA, like all American airports, are responsible and accountable to the FAA. The FAA establishes and enforces the regulations that govern MIA's operations. However, the State of Florida also has its own aviation plans that relate more to capital budgeting, infrastructure improvements and developments, and maintenance (National Academies of Science, n.d.).

Daily operations remain the province of the MIA Aviation Director. The organizational hierarchy and structure of MIA focuses on chief daily duties including but not limited to quality management, coordination, public outreach, strategic planning, public safety, environmental stewardship, and legal responsibilities (National Academies of Science, n.d.). To facilitate coordination of services, MIA has multiple divisions including human resources, information systems, communications, cash management, land use grants, real estate development, marketing, and more ("Executive Leaders," n.d).

Governmental Roles The Miami-Dade Aviation Department is a part of the Miami-Dade County government that is primarily in charge of all the county airports including MIA. Executives at MIA work directly for the Miami-Dade Aviation Department ("Executive Leaders," n.d.). In addition to the county government role, MIA is also accountable to the FAA, as with all American airports. MIA also runs a Protocol Office, which "coordinates all logistics associated with diplomatic arrivals/departures with representatives of the airlines operating at MIA and with U.S.

government agencies," ("Protocol and International Affairs," n.d.). The government agencies include Customs and Border Protection, Department of State, Transportation and Security Administration, and the Secret Service ("Protocol and International Affairs," n.d.). NPIAS The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) report lists MIA as the largest regional hub concentrating on passengers and freight, with "limited general aviation activity," (National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) 2009-2013).

According to the NPIAS report, MIA boasts the most international enplanements in the country, forecasted to grow even more due to the additional hosting of new los-cost carriers as well as new large aircraft like the A380 (National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) 2009-2013). MIA was also recently a test site for FAA-led air quality improvement projects (National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) 2009-2013).

However advanced the capabilities of MIA are now, "improvements may be warranted" at MIA to "keep pace with rapid growth in international cargo," in terms of transfer facilities in particular (National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) 2009-2013, p. 55). Privatization and Privatized Services MIA offers an abundance of privatized services for the consumer/retail sector as well as in the service operations of the facility itself.

In the consumer/retail sector, passengers at MIA have access to a wide range of retail store outlets and food and drink service providers including local restaurants and international chain franchises. Some of the locally owned businesses include the Estefan Kitchen Express, My Ceviche, Chefs of the Caribbean, and Original Penguin. Additional private retail outlets are expected in the near future according to MIA's 2016 annual report (Miami-Dade Aviation Department, 2016). All airport security-related features are, however, controlled by the Miami-Dade Aviation Department (Miami-Dade Aviation Department, 2016).

Public Relations Dickie Davis is the Director of Public and Customer Relations at MIA ("Dickie Davis," n.d.). The Public Relations Department combines its outreach services with customer relations. Customer service for passengers at MIA include services for the prevention and amelioration of discrimination, paging system, a lost and found, and a slew of services including animal relief, MIAmamas, Kids' Corner, yoga room, and other unique benefits ("Dickie Davis," n.d.).

The overall public relations strategy at MIA involves outreach with local fundraising and philanthropic organizations, networking with the private sector. Allowing MIA to become a host to major international events has allowed the airport to integrate itself with Miami-Dade County's lucrative conference and events sector. MIA also links with local arts and culture organizations. In fact, the airport has its own fine arts and cultural affairs division. The arts and cultural affairs division allows MIA to improve its overall aesthetic through ongoing permanent and temporary exhibits in the airport.

By partnering with local art organizations, MIA establishes itself not just as a transportation hub, but also a hub for the international art scene. One of the most important ways MIA conducts marketing and public relations is through welcoming partnerships with key brands from around the world. For example, in 2016, MIA became the first airport in the country to launch Brand USA's international welcome campaign, and also that year welcomed a group of Japanese community leaders to discuss business partnerships with MIA in the future (Miami-Dade Aviation Department, 2016).

Many of the marketing and public relations-outreach events at MIA are aviation-specific, such as welcoming new airlines and designating new flight paths. The partnerships between the chief aviation director and the public relations director ensure that new cargo and passenger airlines can secure strategic positions at MIA. For example, MIA welcomed a new Canadian cargo airline called KF Cargo, and also welcomed representatives from several major Asian airlines including All Nippon Airways (ANA) to develop Miami to Asia nonstop flights in the future (Miami-Dade Aviation Department, 2016).

The first nonstop passenger flight from Asia to Miami occurred in 2016, with a charter flight from Taipei carrying the country's President Tsai Ing-wen. Legislative History In 1928, what would later become the Miami International Airport (MIA) was called the Pan American Field, colloquially known as the 36th Street Airport. The first flight from the Pan American Field was a mail route from Miami to Key West (Flashback Miami, n.d.). Subsequent flights included regular passenger service between Miami and Havana.

As the base of operations of Pan American Airways, MIA started off with only two runways and two hangars. Eastern Airlines and National Airlines soon began operating out of the airport. However, major legislative changes would take place during the World War II era. In 1942, the City of Miami abolished its first Aviation Department, and in its place turned over airport control to the Greater Miami Port Authority.

Only two years later, the Dade County Port Authority (DCPA) took over from the Greater Miami Port Authority, at the same time as the Dinner Key Pan American airport base was being shut down ("Aviation in Miami: The First 100 Years," n.d.). The present-day MIA airport terminal started taking shape in the post-war years, as the DCPA continued expanding its territory. In 2012, a series of legislative actions referring to MIA's role in counterterrorism were clearly outlined in county legislative texts ("Miami-Dade Legislative Item, File Number: 122145," 2012).

In conjunction with Customs and Border Patrol, MIA would be increasing its facilities and staffing as well as improving its security technologies. The new security features would apply to both passenger and cargo to ensure efficiency and public safety. Funding Funding for MIA comes from a variety of sources. Most of the airport's funds come directly from the county Aviation Department, which issues Aviation Revenue Bonds in accordance with the Trust Agreement (Bridgeman, 2017).

Strategic funding initiatives include increases in outside printing, freight and delivery fee increases, and promotional funding sources (Bridgeman, 2017). Aviation Revenue Bonds comprise the majority of funds for the Capital Improvement Programs at MIA (Bridgeman, 2017). Grants are available and accessed through the FAA and TSA, Florida Department of Transportation grants, and other state and federal sources too (Bridgeman, 2017). The Passenger Facility Charge, which is a $4.99 fee added to each passenger ticket, has also increased funding to MIA. Promotional funding sources have proved lucrative to MIA.

Inaugurations of new airline routes for passenger and cargo, community outreach programs, conferences, summits, and FAA meetings all draw revenue to MIA. Financial Performance The Division Director of Financial Planning and Performance Analysis at MIA is currently Ivonne Davila, who has worked with the Miami-Dade Aviation Department for 17 years ("Ivonne Davila," n.d.). TheMIA 2016 Annual Report reveals financial growth in several key areas including passenger growth, cargo expansion, and retail sector within the airport.

One of the key strengths of MIA is the role the airport plays in the community, as a major employer but also as a superlative regional transportation hub for both passengers and freight. MIA ranks number one in the United States for international freight, and second in international passengers ("About Us," 2017). However, MIA just barely makes it into the top ten airports in the world in terms of international freight transport ("About Us," 2017).

MIA is instrumental for contributing jobs to the community, both because of its freight and its passenger operations, not to mention the role the airport plays in relaying visitors from around the world into the city of Miami. According to the MIA website, over 280,000 jobs are directly or indirectly linked to the Miami International Airport: a quarter of all the jobs in the entire Miami-Dade county ("About Us," 2017).

Because the closest next airport is Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, a far smaller venue, MIA retains its dominant market position in the region in spite of some of its terminals and services having not been upgraded for many years.

Airport Systems Part of its Capital Improvement Program (CIP) strategy, the Master Plan for the Miami International Airport includes substantial plans for service expansion and terminal upgrades including a cruise ship bus depot that will cost $1.1 billion as well as a new mile-long facility exclusively for One World Alliance partners like American Airlines (Richard & Magno, 2010). The master plan also mentions new cargo buildings, hundreds of new ticket counters plus self-service ticketing kiosks, and upgraded services in existing terminals.

Airport Planning and Design A visual layout of the main passenger terminal is as follows, taken from (http://www.miami-airport.com/terminal_gates.asp): A broader overview including cargo facilities is available at (http://www.miami-airport.com/terminal_gates.asp): Runways include the following: • Runway 9/27, which is asphalt, grooved, and in good condition and with measurements of 13016 x 150 ft. / 3967 x 46 m • Runway 8R/26L is 10506 x 200 ft. / 3202 x 61 m, also asphalt paved and in good condition. • Runway 12/30, which is 9355 x 150 ft.

/ 2851 x 46 m, asphalt, grooved, and good condition. • Runway 8L/26R, 8600 x 150 ft. / 2621 x 46 m, asphalt, and good condition. Safety areas, pavement, signage, lighting, and security are clearly designated with ample approach lighting, all of which use MALSR: 1,400-foot medium intensity approach lighting systems (AirNav, 2017). An average of 1134 aircraft use MIA each day, 86% of which are commercial (AirNav, 2017). Environmental Issues Miami-Dade County is less than progressive in general when it comes to.