Emirates has brought its Travel Rehearsal program to Clark International Airport, giving neurodiverse children and their families the opportunity to become familiar with each stage of the airport journey before an actual trip.
The Clark activity marks the airline’s second travel rehearsal in the Philippines following a similar program in Cebu in June. It forms part of Emirates’ broader initiative to make air travel more accessible for people with autism and other neurodiverse conditions.
Preparing families for the airport experience
The program 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 airport procedures.
During the three-hour activity, participants experienced each stage of the airport journey, including check-in, immigration, security screening, the departure concourse, and a simulated boarding process. Emirates personnel and airport partners explained every step, answered questions from families, and introduced participants to the airport teams they would typically encounter when traveling.
For many neurodiverse children, unfamiliar sights, sounds, and routines can make airports overwhelming. Experiencing the process in advance can help reduce uncertainty and give parents and caregivers a clearer understanding of what to expect on future trips.
A collaborative accessibility initiative
The travel rehearsal was conducted in collaboration with Clark International Airport, customer service teams, border control personnel, the Office for Transportation Security, and Emirates’ airline ground handling partner.
“Making travel more inclusive starts long before a customer boards a flight,” said Khalid Al Zarooni, country manager for the Philippines at Emirates. “It means recognizing that every traveler experiences the airport differently and working with our partners to make travel more accessible. We’re pleased to bring the Travel Rehearsal program to Clark and hope it encourages more families to see travel as something they can enjoy together.”
Supporting accessible travel
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. According to the airline, the program helps employees better understand autism, sensory sensitivities, and practical ways to support customers with accessible travel requirements.
Since April 2025, Emirates Airport Services teams have conducted more than 40 Travel Rehearsals across airports in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australasia, the Americas, and Dubai. The program has expanded to 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 expected to join the initiative.