Emirates Expands Travel Rehearsal Programme for Neurodiverse Children to Clark

Emirates, the world’s first Autism-Certified Airline, has expanded its Travel Rehearsal programme to Clark International Airport, giving neurodiverse children and their families the opportunity to become familiar with every stage of the airport journey before they travel.

The initiative marks Emirates’ second Travel Rehearsal in the Philippines, following its successful launch in Cebu in June, and reinforces the airline’s ongoing commitment to making air travel more accessible and inclusive for everyone.

The latest programme brought together 22 students, along with their parents and guardians, and eight teachers from Hand Prints School of Progressive Education and Beyond Play Learning Center for a guided walkthrough of airport procedures and the overall travel experience.

During the three-hour rehearsal, participants were taken through each key step of the airport journey—from check-in, immigration and security screening to the departure concourse and a simulated boarding process at the gate. Throughout the activity, Emirates personnel and airport partners explained every stage of the travel process, answered questions from families, and introduced participants to the airport teams they would typically meet during an actual trip.

For many neurodiverse children, the unfamiliar sights, sounds and routines of an airport can be overwhelming. By experiencing the journey in advance, children can become more comfortable with the environment, while parents and caregivers gain a better understanding of what to expect when travelling together.

The Travel Rehearsal was made possible through the collaboration of Clark International Airport, customer service teams, border control, the Office for Transportation Security, and Emirates’ airline ground handling partner, all of whom worked together to deliver a realistic end-to-end airport experience.

“Making travel more inclusive starts long before a customer boards a flight,” said Khalid Al Zarooni, Emirates’ Country Manager for the Philippines.

“It means recognising that every traveller experiences the airport differently and working with our partners to make travel more accessible. We’re pleased to bring the Travel Rehearsal programme to Clark and hope it encourages more families to see travel as something they can enjoy together.”

Emirates became the world’s first Autism-Certified Airline in 2025 after more than 35,000 cabin crew and ground staff completed specialised autism awareness training. The programme equips employees with a deeper understanding of autism, sensory sensitivities, and practical ways to better support customers with accessible travel requirements.

Since April 2025, Emirates’ Airport Services teams have organised more than 40 Travel Rehearsals across airports in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australasia, and the Americas, in addition to the airline’s hub in Dubai. The programme has already been conducted in cities including Accra, Athens, Bali, Barcelona, Brussels, Cebu, Christchurch, Da Nang, Delhi, Dubai, Hong Kong, Istanbul, London, Madrid, Paris, Sydney, Toronto, and Vienna, with additional destinations set to join the initiative across Emirates’ growing global network.