Emirates brought its vision of accessible travel to Istanbul through its “Travel Rehearsal” programme, hosting autistic children and their families at Istanbul Airport (IGA).
The initiative, which
is gradually being rolled out across 17 airports in Emirates’ global network,
allows participants with disability to experience every stage of the travel
journey in a supportive and structured environment.
As part of Emirates’
“Accessible Travel for All” approach, the Travel Rehearsal program aims to make
air travel more predictable and comfortable for individuals on the autism
spectrum.
By familiarising
families with airport procedures and onboard environments ahead of time, the
programme helps reduce anxiety and build confidence before an actual flight.
Mehmet Gurkaynak,
Emirates County Manager Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria, said: “Last year,
Emirates became the world’s first Autism Certified Airline, demonstrating the
airline's long-term commitment to accessible travel. Through the efforts of
Emirates’ Autism Centre and our partners at IGA, we’re proud to having brought
this initiative to Istanbul and play an active role in enhancing the travel
experience for people with accessible travel requirements. We thank our partners for contributing to this
initiative including IGA. This milestone reflects the importance of working
with likeminded stakeholders to ensure an inclusive travel industry for all.”
A global journey of
inclusive travel in Istanbul
During the Istanbul
experience, participants walked through the full travel process — from airport
transfers and check-in to passport control, lounge access, and an aircraft
tour.
The experience
demonstrated how an Emirates journey unfolds smoothly and safely, from ground
services to onboard, while fostering trust between trained Emirates teams and
passengers with disabilities.
Emirates became the
world’s first Autism-Certified Airline after more than 30,000 cabin crew and
ground staff completed specialised autism awareness training.
The programme equips employees
with in-depth knowledge of the autism spectrum, common misconceptions,
challenges faced during travel, and personalised support strategies tailored to
individual passenger needs.
So far, Emirates has performed its travel rehearsal programme in Dubai, Barcelona, Brussels, Budapest, Christchurch, Durban, Istanbul, Luanda, Madrid, Nice, Oslo, Paris and Venice, with more destinations committing to the programme every month. -TradeArabia News Service