Improving the air travel experience for young people with autism

Pupils and their families were supported by Education staff from West Lothian Council as they took part in a full travel rehearsal day. This event followed Emirates' certification as an Autism Friendly Airline.

The event aimed to support pupils and families by building confidence, independence, and practical travel skills in a real airport environment.

On the day, staff from Emirates and Edinburgh Airport took pupils step-by-step through an authentic airport experience, including:

•              Arrival at Edinburgh Airport

•              Check in and bag drop procedures, complete with imitation Emirates boarding passes

•              Security processing

•              Boarding process rehearsal

•              Time at the gate area

•              Opportunity to watch aircraft take off and land

Staff and airport personnel were there every step of the way to ensure young people felt comfortable in what can sometimes be an overwhelming environment.

Both Emirates and Edinburgh airport will review the activities with the feedback from young people and their families set to inform future developments to try and remove barriers that may prevent young people with autism from travelling in the future.

A West Lothian Council spokesperson said: "We would like to thank staff at Emirates and Edinburgh airport for allowing our pupils the opportunity to be part of this experience. Travelling can be an incredibly tricky process for families to navigate with so many unknowns. It is therefore extremely positive to see organisations working in partnership with the aim of making travel by air more realistic and accessible for young people with additional support needs." 

 Dominique Newman, Edinburgh Airport's Accessibility Manager said: "Making sure all our passengers feel comfortable and confident is a top priority for us. Events like this allow us to offer extra time and support where it's needed, while working with our airline partners to make travel more accessible - and we're thankful to the young people who attended and helped put us through our paces too!"

 Jabr Al-Azeeby, Emirates' Divisional Vice President, UK, said: "Airports and aircraft can be highly challenging environments, due to the high levels of sensory stimuli, and the unfamiliar protocols and procedures throughout the journey. The Emirates Travel Rehearsal initiative aims to address that, offering passengers who are neurodiverse the comfort of preparation and familiarity, as well as trained staff to support at every touchpoint. We'd like to thank all our partners and guests for their invaluable collaboration - by working together, we can help to make air travel more."