[Toronto, ON]
Autism Ontario is collaborating with Air Canada and the Air Canada Foundation for Autism Aviation Days, introducing autistic children, youth, and their families to air travel in a safe, calm, and supportive environment, without the pressures of a typical travel day. Families from the Greater Toronto Area will participate in Autism Aviation Day on Saturday, June 6 at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
Air travel can present challenges for autistic youth and their families, including anxiety and sensory sensitivities. Autism Aviation Days help remove the barriers that have kept some families from traveling, reassure them that air travel is possible, and build confidence for future trips.
“For many autistic individuals and their families, air travel can present significant barriers due to unfamiliar environments, sensory considerations, and unpredictability,” says Marg Spoelstra, Chief Executive Officer at Autism Ontario. “Autism Aviation Days help address these challenges by providing a guided, supportive opportunity to experience the airport journey in advance of travel. We’re pleased to collaborate with Air Canada and the Air Canada Foundation on this important initiative to help make flying more accessible and inclusive.”
Autism Aviation Days offer first-hand practice with the airport and flight process. Participating families will experience the full airport journey, from check-in and security screening to boarding the plane, taking off for a short flight, and landing. The experience is designed to be as close to a real flight as possible.
“We are proud to be the first airline in North America to introduce the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, a globally recognized initiative that allows travellers with non-visible disabilities to discreetly signal when they may need additional support, more time, or a greater level of understanding throughout their journey,” says Kerianne Wilson, Director, Customer Accessibility at Air Canada. “It’s one of the many ways we are working to create a more inclusive and supportive travel experience.”
“At the Air Canada Foundation, we are proud to work alongside Air Canada’s Customer Accessibility team to help create more inclusive travel experiences for children and families,” said Eric Lauzon, Director, Community Relations and Partnerships at Air Canada. “Our collaboration with Autism Ontario reflects a shared commitment to ensuring children and families feel prepared, supported, and empowered as they take part in these important experiences, fostering a sense of confidence and possibility so families can take that next step together when the time feels right.”
Autism Ontario, Air Canada, and the Air Canada Foundation share a commitment to making travel accessible for everyone, and Autism Aviation Days are one step toward a future where more autistic children, youth, and their families can fly with confidence.
For more information, please email Autism Ontario’s media team at media@autismontario.com.
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About Autism Ontario
Autism Ontario is the province’s leading source of information and referral on autism whose mandate is to build a supportive and inclusive Ontario for autism. It provides autistic individuals and families across their life course with community-based access to meaningful supports, social learning opportunities, information, and connections. The organization’s commitment to significantly and positively impacting the autism community is driven by its vision: Best life, better world, making autism matter!