Tag Archives: accessible travel

Etihad Airways proudly welcomed the UAE Paralympics team on board this week as they embark on their ambitious journey. The UAE’s national airline showed its support for the team of 22 athletes, coaches, medical staff and personnel with a celebratory send off at Zayed International Airport on Wednesday. The airline will also display a giant billboard across its Abu Dhabi headquarters building, featuring the slogan ‘Unstoppable passion. Unforgettable journey’ in a show of support for the competing athletes’ mission. In a video posted on Etihad’s social media channels, the team received a warm welcome at the airport by Etihad staff and a team of volunteers, before enjoying the delights of the Etihad Lounge ahead of their flight. Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, said: “We are hugely proud of the UAE athletes, and we extend our heartfelt best wishes ahead of their forthcoming competitions. “At Etihad it is our purpose to give flight to ambition, and there is no better way we can showcase this than by flying this team of ambitious and talented athletes.” Known for its award-winning service and hospitality, Etihad welcomes and caters for the needs of people of determination from booking to arrival at their destination. Etihad’s highly trained cabin crew are happy to assist travellers with any additional needs during their flight. This includes supporting guests with visual impairment to move around the aircraft, make menu selections and enjoy their dining experience. The cabin crew will also update guests with a hearing impairment of announcements made during the flight, while they may also enjoy the extensive entertainment on E-Box with subtitles in multiple languages. With Etihad, guests can bring their own wheelchair or mobility …

Working with local schools, autism groups and key stakeholders, Emirates and Dubai International Airport (DXB) are focused on improving the travel experience for neurodivergent passengers, facilitating ‘travel rehearsals’ where children can practice their journey through the airport and onboard aircraft, as well as working directly with families to delight superfans like Humza, age 11, on his first flight with Emirates. Humza Dabab recently flew from Melbourne to Dubai with his mother and two siblings and was treated to a VIP experience from Emirates – his favourite airline. This was his first flight with Emirates, though his parents advised he is already very familiar with all facets of Emirates through his own studies – from the aircraft itself, to the inflight entertainment ice, the cabin crew uniform and the safety video. Humza bought his own safety belt to simulate and act out the safety advisory, to which he has memorised all the words, and has a collection of Emirates aircraft models to practice the take-off and landing experience. Humza’s mother Lamees said ‘The plane is Humza’s happy place. The destination is not even the most exciting part of the journey, I can wholeheartedly say it is the plane ride itself. He is so excited to be finally travelling with Emirates.’   Humza is autistic and being on time is a crucial requirement for his particular needs. The potential of running late or missing the flight would cause significant anxiety which must be alleviated in advance. Emirates and Dubai International Airport employees are trained and prepared for these requests and can facilitate priority boarding for neurodivergent passengers, referred to as People of Determination in the UAE, as well as offering a support …

Dubai International (DXB) has received an accreditation from the Airports Council International (ACI) under its Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation Programme, a first-of-its-kind initiative that recognises global airports’ commitment to accessible travel operations. The certification acknowledges DXB’s ongoing prioritisation of a safe and inclusive airport experience for passengers with both physical and hidden disabilities. This aligns with the 2019 ACI World General Assembly Resolution and United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons, which stipulates that all persons with all types of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms. Through the launch of a phased, two-year plan that addresses and elevates the travel experience for People of Determination (POD), DXB has successfully proven its ability to provide an accessible and inclusive airport experience for passengers, airport workers, visitors and the elderly. This includes launching a travel planner for pre-travel preparation, designing an Autism Friendly Route, and implementing a large-scale training programme. Under the banner of ‘We all meet the world differently’, DXB’s innovative POD initiative contributes to Dubai’s vision of becoming the world’s leading disability-friendly city and drives regional and international awareness of travellers with physical and hidden disabilities. Majed Al Joker, Chief Operating Officer, said: “Dubai Airports remains committed to creating an inclusive airport experience and we’re working with stakeholders to ensure we continue to develop services and facilities that travellers with disabilities require to make their travel to Dubai comfortable. Our goal is to see the needs of POD met at every touchpoint of the journey – especially those with hidden disabilities such as autism, chronic fatigue, and pain. This prestigious ACI accreditation is a testament to our success so far and reaffirms our efforts as we continue …

With concerted efforts to further enhance support services for travellers with hidden disabilities including Autism, Emirates has rolled out specialised training to more than 24,000 global cabin crew and ground staff, collaborated with Dubai Airport on a useful travel planner and autism friendly route to make the pre-boarding experience more seamless, and implemented additional thoughtful measures to ensure passenger comfort onboard. More than 24,000 cabin crew and ground staff globally have completed Emirates ‘Introduction to Autism and Hidden Disabilities’ training. The online course was first launched in 2022 and covers a range of topics from the UAE National Policy for People of Determination, recognising autism, practical tips on how to assist passengers with hidden disabilities, responding with empathy, and information on the official support systems to help passengers in the airport. Categorised as a hidden disability, autism spectrum disorder is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave. Known as a spectrum disorder because there are wide variations in the types and severity of symptoms people experience, a range of sensory needs can occur. For some travellers, the airport and aircraft experience may feel too noisy, too bright, too unfamiliar, or too busy – and these are some of the areas in which Emirates is striving to facilitate planned and positive travel experiences, for customers with autism. Emirates supports passengers with hidden disabilities by providing as much information in advance as possible, so that families can plan, rehearse, and be reassured about their upcoming travel. Passengers can check the Accessible Travel page on Emirates.com for information and contact their Emirates local office with queries. Passengers who declare a hidden disability will be …

Kuwait Airways sponsored the eighth annual international conference titled ‘Practical Solutions for Dyslexia & ‏Dyscalculia, as an official airline of the event, organized by the Kuwaiti Association for Learning Differences – KALD during the period from 10-12 February 2023, in the presence of numerous attendees consisting of specialists and experts in the field. ​ The Director of Corporate Communication and Public Relations department at Kuwait Airways, Mr. Khalid Al-Bustan stated, “Kuwait Airways is honoured to participate as an official airline in the eighth international conference on Dyslexia & ‏Dyscalculia. This comes within the framework of its relentless endeavour to support and encourage such important and significant initiatives that aim to educate and enlighten the community about the problems faced by learners with dyslexia.” Al-Bustan added, “Kuwait Airways is keen to implement its social responsibility programs and policies, as the Blue Bird is an integral part of Kuwait’s society and is committed to its role towards initiatives directed towards social responsibility and to contribute to the advancement of these humanitarian programs.” Al-Bustan added that Kuwait Airways considers social responsibility as one of its most important responsibilities and is committed to these objectives that create a lasting impression on the society thereby contributing to improving the lives of others. Al-Bustan concluded his statement by extending his sincere appreciation to those in charge of the Kuwaiti Association for Learning Differences for their relentless efforts in achieving their objectives and was hopeful that these initiatives would continue for the benefit of all. In this regard, the Kuwaiti Association for Learning Differences honoured Kuwait Airways’ representative, Mr. Hamad Al-Hmaimeedi for the company’s role in sponsoring the conference.