Latest news with #AdelalRedha
Trade Arabia
24-04-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
Emirates launches 'travel rehearsal' programme in 17 cities
Emirates has achieved several milestones in Autism Awareness month, including launching a 'travel rehearsal' programme across 17 cities, allowing children with autism to practice airport journeys, and becoming the world's first Autism Certified Airline. Over 30,000 cabin crew and ground staff have been trained to support customers with autism. In April, Emirates highlighted autism awareness to millions of passengers by showcasing movies, podcasts, and TV shows about neurodiversity on its inflight entertainment system, ice. Adel al Redha, Deputy President and COO, Emirates, said: 'Emirates has been driving and facilitating good progress in accessible travel, and it is part of our operational strategy. We continue to work on this mission to make travel more inclusive. At the beginning of 2024, we were recognised as a Certified Autism Center™. We have upskilled our teams and I am pleased to say that we are now the world's first autism-certified airline, with 30, 000 frontline staff and cabin crew trained to support our customers with autism. Now we are also rolling out our Travel Rehearsal programme in cities across the globe, to break barriers and make travel accessible for everyone. This is part of our social and professional responsibility.' EMIRATES' TRAVEL REHEARSALS ACTIVATED ACROSS 17 CITIES Globally, Emirates has started rolling out its travel rehearsal programme to 17 cities including Barcelona, Brisbane, Budapest, Cebu, Christchurch, Dubai, Durban, Luanda, Madrid, Manila, Mauritius, Manchester, Montreal, Nice, Oslo, Paris and Toronto, with more destinations committing to the programme every month. The Travel Rehearsal concept first began in 2023, as a community collaboration between Emirates, Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Airports, the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai Police and Dubai Customs, and several schools and centres for autism in Dubai, whose feedback was invaluable to the process. The local schools and centres for autism including Safe Center for Autism, The New England Center for Children's (NECC) Clinic, Rashid Center for People of Determination and Dubai Autism Centre were invited to Dubai International (DXB) to experience a simulation of an airport journey. The children and their teachers and carers got to practice checking in, dropping baggage, going through immigration and security, experiencing the hustle and bustle of Duty Free and familiarising themselves with the airport, boarding passes, and the many individuals encountered along the way. Now on an international level, parents, therapists and teachers involved in the travel rehearsals have reported to Emirates that the experience has been invaluable in helping their child to have a safe and successful flight, by offering the comfort of preparation and familiarity, as well as trained staff to support.
Gulf Insider
24-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Emirates Becomes First Autism-Certified Airline Globally
Emirates has achieved designation as the world's first Autism Certified Airline™, with over 30,000 cabin crew and ground staff now trained to support customers with autism, the airline announced during Autism Awareness month. The certification follows a year-long collaboration with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), which involved detailed reviews and comprehensive audits to create a new blueprint for serving passengers with accessibility requirements, the airline said in a statement. Emirates expands autism travel rehearsals to 17 global cities The airline has also expanded its 'travel rehearsal' programme to 17 cities globally, including Barcelona, Brisbane, Budapest, Cebu, Christchurch, Dubai, Durban, Luanda, Madrid, Manila, Mauritius, Manchester, Montreal, Nice, Oslo, Paris and Toronto. 'Emirates has been driving and facilitating good progress in accessible travel, and it is part of our operational strategy. We continue to work on this mission to make travel more inclusive. At the beginning of 2024, we were recognised as a Certified Autism Center™. We have upskilled our teams and I am pleased to say that we are now the world's first autism-certified airline, with 30,000 frontline staff and cabin crew trained to support our customers with autism. Now we are also rolling out our Travel Rehearsal programme in cities across the globe, to break barriers and make travel accessible for everyone. This is part of our social and professional responsibility,' Adel al Redha, Deputy President and COO, Emirates said. The travel rehearsal concept began in 2023 as a community collaboration in Dubai, involving the Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Airports, the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai Police, Dubai Customs, and several schools and centres for autism. Children and their carers practised airport procedures, including check-in, baggage drop, immigration, security screening, and boarding, helping them become familiar with the airport environment and processes. Parents, therapists and teachers have reported that these rehearsals have been 'invaluable' in helping children have successful flights by offering preparation and familiarity, as well as trained staff support. Currently, the travel rehearsal initiative is available on an invitation basis in collaboration with accredited centres. Throughout April, Emirates highlighted autism awareness to passengers through its in-flight entertainment system, featuring films like Temple Grandin and Ezra , podcasts about Dubai's autism-friendly mission, and documentaries including BBC's 'Inside Our Autistic Minds.' The initiative supports Dubai's ambition to become the most accessible destination globally, addressing findings from an survey which revealed that 78 per cent of families hesitate to travel or visit new locations, while 94 per cent would take more holidays if staff were autism-trained and certified. Also read: Pahalgam Terror Attack: Dubai-Based Indian Expat Among Victims
Arabian Business
23-04-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Dubai's Emirates becomes world's first Autism Certified Airline
Emirates has achieved designation as the world's first Autism Certified Airline™, with over 30,000 cabin crew and ground staff now trained to support customers with autism, the airline announced during Autism Awareness month. The certification follows a year-long collaboration with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), which involved detailed reviews and comprehensive audits to create a new blueprint for serving passengers with accessibility requirements, the airline said in a statement. Emirates expands autism travel rehearsals to 17 global cities The airline has also expanded its 'travel rehearsal' programme to 17 cities globally, including Barcelona, Brisbane, Budapest, Cebu, Christchurch, Dubai, Durban, Luanda, Madrid, Manila, Mauritius, Manchester, Montreal, Nice, Oslo, Paris and Toronto. 'Emirates has been driving and facilitating good progress in accessible travel, and it is part of our operational strategy. We continue to work on this mission to make travel more inclusive. At the beginning of 2024, we were recognised as a Certified Autism Center™. We have upskilled our teams and I am pleased to say that we are now the world's first autism-certified airline, with 30,000 frontline staff and cabin crew trained to support our customers with autism. Now we are also rolling out our Travel Rehearsal programme in cities across the globe, to break barriers and make travel accessible for everyone. This is part of our social and professional responsibility,' Adel al Redha, Deputy President and COO, Emirates said. The travel rehearsal concept began in 2023 as a community collaboration in Dubai, involving the Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Airports, the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai Police, Dubai Customs, and several schools and centres for autism. Children and their carers practised airport procedures, including check-in, baggage drop, immigration, security screening, and boarding, helping them become familiar with the airport environment and processes. Parents, therapists and teachers have reported that these rehearsals have been 'invaluable' in helping children have successful flights by offering preparation and familiarity, as well as trained staff support. Currently, the travel rehearsal initiative is available on an invitation basis in collaboration with accredited centres. Throughout April, Emirates highlighted autism awareness to passengers through its in-flight entertainment system, featuring films like Temple Grandin and Ezra, podcasts about Dubai's autism-friendly mission, and documentaries including BBC's 'Inside Our Autistic Minds.' The initiative supports Dubai's ambition to become the most accessible destination globally, addressing findings from an survey which revealed that 78 per cent of families hesitate to travel or visit new locations, while 94 per cent would take more holidays if staff were autism-trained and certified.
Zawya
23-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Emirates journey to ‘Accessible Travel for all'
Emirates named as the world's first Autism Certified Airline™ Dubai, UAE: As part of Autism Awareness month, several milestones have been achieved on Emirates' journey to make travel more accessible for all. One year after Emirates' first successful 'travel rehearsal', the programme is now being rolled out across 17 cities – allowing children with autism to practice the journey through the airport in order to prepare for real flights. Emirates has also achieved its designation as the world's first Autism Certified Airline™, with more than 30,000 cabin crew and ground staff now trained to support customers with autism. For the month of April, Emirates highlighted autism awareness to millions of passengers globally, showcasing a selection of movies, podcasts and TV shows about neurodiversity on its inflight entertainment system, ice. Adel al Redha, Deputy President and COO, Emirates, said: 'Emirates has been driving and facilitating good progress in accessible travel, and it is part of our operational strategy. We continue to work on this mission to make travel more inclusive. At the beginning of 2024, we were recognised as a Certified Autism Center™. We have upskilled our teams and I am pleased to say that we are now the world's first autism-certified airline, with 30, 000 frontline staff and cabin crew trained to support our customers with autism. Now we are also rolling out our Travel Rehearsal programme in cities across the globe, to break barriers and make travel accessible for everyone. This is part of our social and professional responsibility.' Emirates' Travel Rehearsals activated across 17 cities Globally, Emirates has started rolling out its travel rehearsal programme to 17 cities including Barcelona, Brisbane, Budapest, Cebu, Christchurch, Dubai, Durban, Luanda, Madrid, Manila, Mauritius, Manchester, Montreal, Nice, Oslo, Paris and Toronto, with more destinations committing to the programme every month. The Travel Rehearsal concept first began in 2023, as a community collaboration between Emirates, Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Airports, the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai Police and Dubai Customs, and several schools and centres for autism in Dubai, whose feedback was invaluable to the process. The local schools and centres for autism including Safe Center for Autism, The New England Center for Children's® (NECC®) Clinic, Rashid Center for People of Determination and Dubai Autism Centre were invited to Dubai International (DXB) to experience a simulation of an airport journey. The children and their teachers and carers got to practice checking in, dropping baggage, going through immigration and security, experiencing the hustle and bustle of Duty Free and familiarising themselves with the airport, boarding passes, and the many individuals encountered along the way. Now on an international level, parents, therapists and teachers involved in the travel rehearsals have reported to Emirates that the experience has been invaluable in helping their child to have a safe and successful flight, by offering the comfort of preparation and familiarity, as well as trained staff to support. Emirates is introducing the travel rehearsal initiative in many cities on its network, with partnering airports, authorities, local centers, and foundations. Currently, this is not a bookable service and is available on an invitation basis in collaboration with accredited centers. Emirates is the world's first Autism Certified Airline™ Emirates has achieved its goal of becoming the world's first Autism Certified Airline™, by completing the training of 30,000 cabin crew and ground staff to understand and support customers with autism. The new training on autism and sensory awareness equips Emirates' frontline staff with the understanding and skills to address needs of autistic and sensory sensitive travellers, along with their families. It aims to educate Emirates' teams on the spectrum of autism, misconceptions and challenges faced, the myriad ways to assist customers dependent on their individual needs, and potential stimulus and triggers that staff should be aware of. The inaugural designation will be awarded by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), a leading organization in autism and neurodiversity training and certification. Emirates worked collaboratively with IBCCES for more than a year, to create the training after detailed reviews and a comprehensive audit. Using a data-driven approach, Emirates and IBCCES created a new blueprint for serving passengers with accessibility requirements, encompassing the entire journey – from ground services to in-flight services. Emirates' highlights Autism Awareness globally on ice Throughout April, Emirates highlighted autism awareness to millions of global passengers on its award-winning inflight entertainment system, ice. The content included movies like Temple Grandin, Ezra and The Flight of Bryan, as well as podcasts about Dubai's autism-friendly mission, documentaries like Copa 71, BBC docuseries Inside Our Autistic Minds, and Carl the Collector – a cartoon about a racoon character with autism. The Year of Community – Dubai entities work together for Accessible Travel For many people with autism, air travel is a challenging experience or something to be avoided completely, due to the high level of sensory stimuli that can be involved. A survey on revealed that 78% of families are hesitant to travel or visit new locations, and that 94% of respondents would take more vacations if they had access to places where staff are autism-trained and certified. Through global training and international initiatives, Emirates' mission to make travel more inclusive and accessible for all also supports Dubai's ambition to become the most accessible destination in the world. Continuing to drive the accessible travel agenda forward, Emirates works in close collaboration with all its partners, which includes Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) to Dubai Airports, General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai Police and Dubai Customs, working together to achieve important goals in inclusive and accessible travel.
Zawya
23-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Emirates' first successful ‘travel rehearsal' rolled out across 17 cities
As part of Autism Awareness month, several milestones have been achieved on Emirates' journey to make travel more accessible for all. One year after Emirates' first successful 'travel rehearsal', the programme is now being rolled out across 17 cities – allowing children with autism to practice the journey through the airport in order to prepare for real flights. Emirates has also achieved its designation as the world's first Autism Certified Airline™, with more than 30,000 cabin crew and ground staff now trained to support customers with autism. For the month of April, Emirates highlighted autism awareness to millions of passengers globally, showcasing a selection of movies, podcasts and TV shows about neurodiversity on its inflight entertainment system, ice. Adel al Redha, Deputy President and COO, Emirates, said: 'Emirates has been driving and facilitating good progress in accessible travel, and it is part of our operational strategy. We continue to work on this mission to make travel more inclusive. At the beginning of 2024, we were recognised as a Certified Autism Center™. We have upskilled our teams and I am pleased to say that we are now the world's first autism-certified airline, with 30, 000 frontline staff and cabin crew trained to support our customers with autism. Now we are also rolling out our Travel Rehearsal programme in cities across the globe, to break barriers and make travel accessible for everyone. This is part of our social and professional responsibility.' Globally, Emirates has started rolling out its travel rehearsal programme to 17 cities including Barcelona, Brisbane, Budapest, Cebu, Christchurch, Dubai, Durban, Luanda, Madrid, Manila, Mauritius, Manchester, Montreal, Nice, Oslo, Paris and Toronto, with more destinations committing to the programme every month. The Travel Rehearsal concept first began in 2023, as a community collaboration between Emirates, Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Airports, the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai Police and Dubai Customs, and several schools and centres for autism in Dubai, whose feedback was invaluable to the process. Now on an international level, parents, therapists and teachers involved in the travel rehearsals have reported to Emirates that the experience has been invaluable in helping their child to have a safe and successful flight, by offering the comfort of preparation and familiarity, as well as trained staff to support. Emirates is introducing the travel rehearsal initiative in many cities on its network, with partnering airports, authorities, local centers, and foundations. Currently, this is not a bookable service and is available on an invitation basis in collaboration with accredited centers.
