A local family with a child on the autism spectrum practiced traveling at Logan Airport this weekend.
About 700 people taxied down a Boston runway Saturday for the biannual Wings for Autism event, but the plane never took off.
The “dress rehearsal” for your trip includes getting your boarding pass at the ticket counter, checking your baggage, going through the TSA security checkpoint, and boarding the plane.
“Practice makes perfect,” said her father, Mike Kerwin, adding that the family might travel to Chicago to visit relatives. “Next time it will be a better experience because I know what to expect.”
“They actually want to go. They were like, ‘Where are you going on vacation?'” Conwell said. “It was very smooth. It was a lot of fun.”
Wings for Autism’s main concern is getting through security, said coordinator Jennifer Ryan, who started the program 12 years ago after her family missed a flight. He says it started out as a simple idea, but it soon became clear that there was actually a lot of stuff in safe places. Airports can be stimulating for children due to their echoes, loud noises, and waiting times.
The program took off in earnest and spread its wings across the country.
“By practicing, you get used to the process, and when you actually get on the plane, you know this is what security is, this is what planes are like, and it makes it easier to get through the process,” Ryan said. explained.
A Babson college student is taking the area by storm after launching a clothing line for people on the spectrum with his autistic brother.
The program is held twice a year, but this time it was different thanks to the new location in Terminal E. Massport and Charles River Center have partnered to open a new sensory room where kids can decompress before their flight.
One of the few major airports with this space across the United States, this new space in Terminal E allows kids to receive light therapy, play interactive memory games, and prepare for their flight in comfort with an in-flight replica. I can.
“I love it,” said mother Samantha Conwell. “I love that it gives everyone an option to relax before getting on the plane.”
The program is specifically designed for families with children on the autism spectrum to reduce the stress of flying, and is a great way for airport, airline and TSA personnel to help reduce the stress of flying. It also provides valuable training opportunities to learn how to work with children.
Airline pilots, flight attendants, ground airline crew members, and TSA screeners volunteer to participate in these events.
Increasing awareness of the challenges faced by families with autism will result in a more positive travel experience for everyone involved.
Since the program’s inception in 2011, Boston Logan has hosted more than 18 Wings for Autism events (including one at Worcester Regional Airport) with more than 7,000 participants, according to Massport’s website.