Local families with children on the autism spectrum got a practice round for traveling at Logan Airport this weekend.
Around 700 people taxied down the Boston runway for the bi-annual "Wings for Autism" event on Saturday, where the flights never take off the ground.
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The "dress rehearsal" for traveling includes obtaining boarding passes at the ticket counter, checking bags, being screened at the TSA security checkpoint, and boarding an aircraft.
“Practice makes perfect," dad Mike Kerwin said, adding that maybe the family could go to Chicago to visit relatives. "We’ll know what to expect and then it will be a much better experience next time.”
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“They actually want to go. They were like, ‘Where are we going on vacation?’” Conwell said. "It was super smooth. I really enjoyed it."
Coordinator Jennifer Ryan, who founded the program 12 years ago after a family missed their flight, says "Wings for Autism" started because the main concern was getting through security, but it became clear very quickly that there are actually a lot of things in the airport that trigger kids, including the echo of the airport, the loud sounds, and the waiting.
The program really took off and has spread its wings throughout the country.
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“Practicing familiarizes them with the process so that when they do go to fly, they know this is what security is, this is what a plane is, and they can kind of get through the process easier,” Ryan explained.
The program runs twice a year, but this time was different thanks to a new addition in Terminal E. Massport and the Charles River Center partnered up to open a new sensory room where children can decompress before their flight.
One of the few major airports with this space across the U.S., this new space in Terminal E is where kids can find light therapy, play interactive memory games and cozy up for the flight in a cabin replica.
“I love it," mom Samantha Conwell said. "I love that it gives everyone an option to like decompress before a flight.”
The program, specifically designed for families with children on the autism spectrum to help ease the stress of flying, also provides a valuable training opportunity for airport, airline and TSA personnel to learn how to accommodate children with special needs.
Airline pilots, flight attendants, ground airline crew, and TSA screeners volunteer their time at these events.
Increased awareness of the challenges that autism families face leads to more positive travel experiences for everyone involved.
Since the inception of the program in 2011, Boston Logan has held over 18 Wings for Autism events (and one at Worcester Regional Airport) with more than 7,000 people participating, according to Massport's website.
