- Dubai Airports hosts simulation for children with autism at DXB.
- Initiative aims to ease travel for families of determination.
- Participants explore check-in, security, boarding in real settings.
- DXB is the world’s first Certified Autism Center airport.
Imagine navigating an airport for the first time—security lines, loud announcements, unfamiliar routines. Now imagine doing it as a child with autism. That’s exactly the challenge Dubai Airports addressed through its latest initiative with Al Jalila Foundation’s Ta’alouf Programme, offering a step-by-step travel simulation designed to empower children with autism spectrum disorder and ease their families into the realities of travel.
Held at Dubai International Airport (DXB), the simulation welcomed children from the Ta’alouf Programme, an initiative by Al Jalila Foundation dedicated to empowering families and educators of people of determination. With trained Guest Experience Ambassadors and front-line staff guiding the way, children explored the airport environment in a calm, organized setting, one that allowed them to get familiar with every part of the journey, from check-in to boarding.
The initiative, which supports the UAE’s Year of the Community, involved caregivers, volunteers, and the oneDXB network to ensure the experience was collaborative and impactful.
“This initiative shows the real impact we can make when we work together,” said Majed Al Joker, Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Airports. “A supportive airport environment can make all the difference for a child of determination and their caregivers.”
Airports are often overwhelming, even for seasoned travelers. For neurodivergent children, that stress multiplies, bright lights, sensory overload, long queues. This simulation broke down each phase of travel into manageable, familiar steps, helping participants gain the confidence and clarity needed for future trips.
Here’s what the program included:
- Guided walkthroughs of key airport areas like check-in, security, and boarding
- Opportunities for Q&A with trained staff and caregivers
- Low-stimulation environments tailored for comfort and ease
- A focus on building routine, reducing travel anxiety, and empowering families
This hands-on approach reflects Dubai Airports’ broader commitment to accessible travel. The airport is already a Certified Autism Center, recognized by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), and continues to implement inclusive practices under its “We All Meet the World Differently” campaign.
This initiative isn’t a one-off. It’s one of several ongoing efforts by Dubai Airports to support travellers of determination—whether those challenges are visible or not. As Dr. Amer Al Zarooni, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, put it: “This step aligns with the UAE’s national policy to empower people of determination and integrate them into society and public life.”
By creating meaningful, real-world experiences like this travel simulation, Dubai Airports is turning empathy into action and setting a global benchmark for what accessibility in travel should look like.
To learn more about Dubai Airports’ accessibility efforts, visit:
dubaiairports.ae/hidden-disabilities.
