Emirates set to become the world’s first Autism certified airline

Emirates has launched an inspiring journey to officially become the world’s first Autism Certified Airline, inviting customers with autism and sensory sensitivities to experience Emirates’ services and personalised hospitality, making travel more accessible for all.

The inaugural designation is set to be formally awarded by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) in the coming months, when more than 30,000 Emirates cabin crew and ground staff will have completed the initial training.

Emirates also plans to roll out new standards and services that will improve the on ground and inflight travel experience for both customers on the autism spectrum and their families and companions, to be announced later in the year

For many members of the global autism community, international air travel is a highly challenging experience, or something to be avoided completely, due to the high level of sensory stimuli that can be involved.

A survey on AutismTravel.com revealed that 78 percent of families are hesitant to travel or visit new locations, and that 94 percent of respondents would take more vacations if they had access to places where staff are autism-trained and certified.

As part of Emirates’ mission to make travel more inclusive and accessible for all, this significant step also supports Dubai’s ambition to become the most accessible destination in the world.

Driven by its commitment to creating a welcoming travel experience for all customers including individuals with autism and those with sensory sensitivities, Emirates worked collaboratively with IBCCES, a leading organization in autism and neurodiversity training and certification, to conduct an onsite review and comprehensive audit.

As part of a vast research endeavour, IBCCES surveyed more than 14,000 people with a variety of disabilities, including people with autism, those with sensory sensitivities and their families and caregivers.

The survey data was collated alongside numerous interviews, an International Air Transport Association (IATA) industry survey, and feedback from 1,200 industry professionals – helping develop the most beneficial standards for both passengers and airline staff. In addition to the feedback collated, IBCCES experts also conducted several Emirates flight audits on both long and short haul routes.

The collation of detailed data ensured input from key stakeholders including the lived experiences of people with autism, global thought leaders, industry professionals and healthcare experts – combined to create new industry standards that accommodate passengers with autism and sensory sensitivities during air travel.

Using a data-driven approach, Emirates and IBCCES partnered to create a new blueprint for serving passengers with accessibility requirements, encompassing the entire journey – from ground services to in-flight services, and Emirates will lead the way in bringing these new standards into practice in aviation for the first time.