Emirates has achieved designation as the world’s first Autism Certified Airline™, with over 30,000 cabin crew and ground staff now trained to support customers with autism, the airline announced during Autism Awareness month.
The certification follows a year-long collaboration with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), which involved detailed reviews and comprehensive audits to create a new blueprint for serving passengers with accessibility requirements, the airline said in a statement.
Emirates expands autism travel rehearsals to 17 global cities
The airline has also expanded its ‘travel rehearsal’ programme to 17 cities globally, including Barcelona, Brisbane, Budapest, Cebu, Christchurch, Dubai, Durban, Luanda, Madrid, Manila, Mauritius, Manchester, Montreal, Nice, Oslo, Paris and Toronto.
“Emirates has been driving and facilitating good progress in accessible travel, and it is part of our operational strategy. We continue to work on this mission to make travel more inclusive. At the beginning of 2024, we were recognised as a Certified Autism Center™. We have upskilled our teams and I am pleased to say that we are now the world’s first autism-certified airline, with 30,000 frontline staff and cabin crew trained to support our customers with autism. Now we are also rolling out our Travel Rehearsal programme in cities across the globe, to break barriers and make travel accessible for everyone. This is part of our social and professional responsibility,” Adel al Redha, Deputy President and COO, Emirates said.
The travel rehearsal concept began in 2023 as a community collaboration in Dubai, involving the Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Airports, the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai Police, Dubai Customs, and several schools and centres for autism.
Children and their carers practised airport procedures, including check-in, baggage drop, immigration, security screening, and boarding, helping them become familiar with the airport environment and processes.
Parents, therapists and teachers have reported that these rehearsals have been “invaluable” in helping children have successful flights by offering preparation and familiarity, as well as trained staff support.
Currently, the travel rehearsal initiative is available on an invitation basis in collaboration with accredited centres.
Throughout April, Emirates highlighted autism awareness to passengers through its in-flight entertainment system, featuring films like Temple Grandin and Ezra, podcasts about Dubai’s autism-friendly mission, and documentaries including BBC’s “Inside Our Autistic Minds.”
The initiative supports Dubai’s ambition to become the most accessible destination globally, addressing findings from an AutismTravel.com survey which revealed that 78 per cent of families hesitate to travel or visit new locations, while 94 per cent would take more holidays if staff were autism-trained and certified.
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