August 2021 Employee of the Month: Elderly passenger makes her flight thanks to a helping hand

From left: Rupen Philloura, Terminal Operations Director, MDAD; Rosa Aguilar, Operations Specialist, MDAD; Ralph Cutie, MIA Interim Director; and, Maria Cereceda, Senior Operations Specialist, MDAD.

MDAD Operations Specialist Rosa Aguilar came to the rescue of an elderly passenger recently after the woman took a fall near an elevator at MIA. Rosa was notified to report to the site of the fall and wait with the passenger until paramedics arrived. After the paramedics assessed the woman and took care of her injuries, she was still crying because now she had missed her connecting flight to Boston where her family lives. Rosa walked the woman in a wheelchair to her airline ticket counter, helped her get rebooked on the next flight to Boston, and made sure the airline provided her with a wheelchair for the rest of her trip.

Rosa also took the extra step of calling the woman’s daughter in Boston to let her know what had happened and about the new flight schedule. Rosa even offered to buy her something to eat, but all the woman wanted was a hot coffee because she already had a sandwich in her purse. The woman was soon on her way to her new flight to Boston.

Because Rosa showed the passenger the same kindness and compassion that she would show her own family member, she was named MIA’s August 2021 Employee of the Month, which also makes her eligible for the airport’s Employee of the Year award.