Emirates is to become the world’s first Autism Certified Airline, offering customers with autism and sensory sensitivities a new standard of travel tailored to their needs, according to a company press release.
The official designation from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), which promotes autism and neurodiversity training and certification, will be awarded in the coming months once more than 30,000 Emirates cabin crew and ground staff have completed the initial training under the new Autism Certified Airline (ACA) standard.
Emirates partnered with IBCCES to develop the standard, which draws on survey data, numerous interviews and flight audits on both long and short haul Emirates routes. The airline is confident the ACA represents the most beneficial standard for both passengers and airline staff, opening up travel to many who have struggled to fly in the past.
A staggering 94 percent of respondents to a survey on AutismTravel.com said they would take more vacations if they had access to travel options and destinations where staff are autism-trained and certified. Emirates’ new inclusive standards support Dubai’s ambition to become the most accessible destination in the world – catering to those they call “people of determination.”
[See more: Studio City is Macao’s first Certified Autism Centre]
IBCCES drew on detailed data from key stakeholders, including healthcare experts, airline industry professionals, global thought leaders and those living with autism and sensory sensitivities, to create the new procedures.
A survey of more than 14,000 people spanning a variety of disabilities, as well as their families and caregivers, provided the customer perspective while the provider side was developed through numerous interviews, an International Air Transport Association (IATA) survey and feedback from 1,200 industry professionals. This data-driven approach hopefully ensures that IBCCES and Emirates have created a solid blueprint for serving passengers with accessibility requirements.
While only around 1 percent of the global population is on the autism spectrum, that translates to around 75 million people – a number that is likely to keep growing. Autism prevalence has increased 178 percent since 2000, driven by greater awareness, more screenings and broader diagnostic criteria, as well as factors that increase the actual incidence of the condition, including environmental factors like air pollution and exposure to herbicides and industrial chemicals.
Heightened sensitivities, often associated with the autism spectrum, are also a common issue for such people, with conditions ranging from migraine and chronic pain conditions to anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Together they represent a sizable portion of travellers. Experts and passengers hope that the new processes will reduce stress and lead to a quieter, more comfortable flight.