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 experience every stage of the airport journey before their actual trip.
The Clark event marks the airline’s second Travel Rehearsal in the Philippines, following its inaugural programme in Cebu in June, as part of Emirates’ ongoing commitment to making air travel more inclusive and accessible.
The initiative brought together 22 students, their parents and guardians, and eight teachers from Hand Prints School of Progressive Education and Beyond Play Learning Center for a guided walkthrough of the airport experience.
During the three-hour programme, participants were introduced to each step of the travel process—from check-in, immigration, and security screening to the departure concourse and a simulated boarding at the gate. Throughout the activity, Emirates staff and airport partners explained airport procedures, answered questions from families, and introduced participants to the personnel they would typically meet on the day of travel.
For many neurodiverse children, unfamiliar sights, sounds, and routines inside an airport can be overwhelming. By allowing families to experience the environment in advance, the programme helps reduce anxiety while giving parents and caregivers a better understanding of what to expect during future trips.
The Travel Rehearsal was made possible through the collaboration of Clark International Airport, customer service teams, border control authorities, the Office for Transportation Security, and Emirates’ ground handling partner, who 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 specialized autism awareness training. The programme equips employees with a deeper understanding of autism, sensory sensitivities, and practical ways to support passengers with accessible travel needs.
Since April 2025, Emirates has conducted more than 40 Travel Rehearsals across airports in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australasia, the Americas, and its Dubai hub. The programme has been rolled out 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 locations set to join the initiative as the airline expands its global accessibility efforts.