Emirates to launch sensory guides for passengers. How they will help

Dubai: Emirates today announced that it will be introducing new standards and services for passengers with autism and sensory conditions to ensure a more accessible travel.

This includes sensory guides, digital aids developed as part of an audit conducted by IBCCES, an organisation in autism and neurodiversity training and certification.

The guides empower travellers to make informed decisions about environments encountered, and plan what suits their needs and preferences. They were created by conducting facilities audits across Dubai locations and the inflight experience, measuring sensory inputs in public areas such as sound levels, lighting and potential sights and smells, said Emirates.

Another new service will be the introduction of neurodiverse sensory products, for Emirates flights passengers. These sensory fidget toys or aids can encourage focus, help to reduce self-stimulatory behaviour and de-stress.

The introduction of the new standards and services comes as Emirates get set to officially become the world’s first Autism Certified Airline.

The certification will be awarded to the airline 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 necessary training to cater to passengers with autism and sensory sensitivities.

To begin with, Emirates The airline said, for many members of the global autism community, international air travel is a challenging experience because of the high level of sensory stimuli that can be involved.

A survey on AutismTravel.com revealed that 78 per cent of families are hesitant to travel or visit new locations, and that 94 per cent of respondents would take more vacations if they had access to places where staff are autism-trained and certified. Emirates now seeks to fill the gap, even while supporting Dubai’s goal to become the most accessible destination in the world.

What ACA means for Emirates

IBCCES surveyed more than 14,000 people with several 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. The findings helped develop certain 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.

"The thorough certification process includes ensuring at least 80 per cent of customer-facing staff complete the dedicated training, alongside a commitment to ongoing training and improvements,” the airline said.

Special training

Emirates’ ground staff and cabin crew are going through focused training on autism and sensory awareness so they can address needs of travellers with autism and sensory sensitivities and their families better. The training educates Emirates’ teams on the spectrum of autism, misconceptions and challenges faced, the myriad ways to assist customers dependent on their individual needs, and potential stimulus and triggers that staff should be aware of.

The new training builds on the foundations established by the Emirates ‘Introduction to Autism and Hidden Disabilities’ training, which was completed by 23,000 staff in 2023, the airline said.

Emirates' strides to make travel accessible

In April last year, Emirates received the Certified Autism Centre Designation for all four of its Dubai Check In facilities, including its dedicated hub in Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport (DXB).

In December 2023, Dubai Airport was celebrated as the first international airport to receive the Certified Autism Centre Designation. Emirates’ new training programme, as well as new standards and protocols to be implemented in stages in 2025 and beyond, will enable neurodiverse customers to fly more comfortably.

These achievements align with the Department of Economy and Tourism’s (DET) vision of Dubai becoming the first Certified Autism Destination (CAD) in the Eastern Hemisphere. By working closely together - Emirates, Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Airports, General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs, Dubai Police and Dubai Customs, are making significant inroads in inclusive and accessible travel.