Commemorating World Autism Awareness Day, LATAM Airlines and TEA Chile Foundation held the first boarding practice for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at “Arturo Merino Benítez” airport in Santiago de Chile on Sunday 04/02/2023, promoting increased inclusion and accessibility for people with this type of syndrome in airport environments.
Around 50 people participated in the activity, including autism neuro-diverse children and their families, who were able to learn and rehearse the different steps that must be followed to travel, from entering the airport to boarding the plane.
The simulation, carried out with TEA Chile Foundation, lasted about four hours and required weeks of training and planning by different teams from both organizations.
“Noise, crowds of people, new situations and other factors make traveling very challenging for people with autism. In LATAM, we are committed to the inclusion of everyone, which is why we have developed this activity so that people with ASD, in a safe and friendly environment for them, can learn and put into practice the various steps necessary to travel” , said Ignacio Gallardo, VP LATAM Planning.
Planning ahead and preparing in situations close to reality are useful tools to avoid decompensation in ASD people.
That is why there are various ways to carry out this type of practices; including the use of games, virtual reality and boarding practices.
In the latter case, advance exercising is a valuable tool to improve the flight experience for people with autism and their families.
David Aldunce, TEA Chile Foundation director, in turn said that “as a foundation, and in our daily commitment, we are happy to develop this activity together with LATAM, especially on this autism awareness day. We know that there is a significant increase in the diagnosis of people with ASD and we understand that experiences like these enrich the entire community, opening a path to the real inclusion of all neuro-divergent people”.
Along these lines, LATAM group has already implemented other initiatives that seek to improve the travel experience for autist passengers.
These include the certification of more than 10,000 employees in ASD-passenger care and the implementation of a lanyard that allows, voluntarily and discreetly, to indicate that the passenger who uses it may need support, extra time or special understanding.
Sources: LATAM Airlines (via e-press) and Nuevo Pudahuel.
