MSP Airport awarded for accessibility efforts

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was given a Level 3 Accreditation for their passenger accessibility from the Airports Council International.

Level 3 is the highest level the ACI, which oversees 1,900 airports in 170 countries, gives out. The ACI measures best practices across several areas of accessibility including; policies, design, operations, innovative technologies and customer experience programs. 

"Accessibility is about working collaboratively with our traveling public, our airlines and our business partners to ensure everyone has equal access to the benefits of air travel," Brian Ryks, CEO of the Metropolitan Airports Commission said in a statement. "MSP has been at the forefront of creating an accessible passenger experience through investing in technology, infrastructure, training and service."

MSP says their accessibility initiatives have been guided by the Travelers with Disabilities Advisory Committee which consists of community disability advocates, airport staff, airline representatives, their contractors and the Transportation Security Administration. 

"We frame every customer experience improvement by prioritizing how it impacts all travelers, especially people with disabilities or reduced mobility," Phil Burke, MAC assistant director, customer experience and TDAC staff liaison said. "We’re committed to continuously improving accessibility and addressing service gaps throughout the passenger experience, with the hope these innovations become standard practice across the airport industry."