Emirates brings global travel rehearsal programme to Scotland
Glasgow, UK, 13 May 2026: Emirates hosted a “Travel Rehearsal” day at Glasgow Airport recently, the first of its kind in Scotland, helping individuals with accessibility requirements feel more confident ahead of their next flight.
The global “Travel Rehearsal” programme from Emirates, the world’s first autism-certified airline, offers guided simulations of the full air travel journey, familiarising participants with airport procedures and the onboard experience before they travel.
In collaboration with local Additional Support Needs Group Autastic Club, several children on the autism spectrum and their families experienced the end-to-end journey at Glasgow Airport, from check-in to the departure gate. Supported by airport and airline staff, participants moved through check-in, security and the departure lounge, before taking part in a mock boarding experience with customer announcements. They also simulated the arrivals process, including immigration and passport control, baggage collection, and arrivals meet-and-greet.
Jabr Al-Azeeby, Emirates’ divisional vice president, UK, said: “Following our first travel rehearsal programme in London earlier this year, we are proud to bring the initiative to Scotland with our first session in Glasgow. As the world’s first autism-certified airline, we aim to break down the invisible barriers faced for people with accessibility requirements - by providing a safe and supportive simulation of the journey. This session would not have been possible without the Emirates Airport Services team in Glasgow, who helped organise and host the experience.”
Angela Armour, co-founder of Autastic Club, added: “We are very grateful to Emirates and Glasgow Airport for delivering such a positive and valuable experience. Opportunities like this play a vital role in supporting those who may feel hesitant about travel – particularly individuals with Additional Support Needs.”
Making travel more accessible
Emirates became the world’s first Autism-Certified Airline after more than 35,000 cabin crew and ground staff completed specialised autism awareness training. The programme equips employees with in-depth knowledge of the autism spectrum, common misconceptions, challenges faced during travel, and personalised support strategies tailored to individual passenger needs.
Since April 2025, Emirates’ Airport Services teams have come together to arrange 40 of these travel rehearsals across airports like Accra, Athens, Bali, Bangalore, Barcelona, Bologna, Brussels, Christchurch, Da Nang, Delhi, Dubai, Dublin, Durban, Düsseldorf, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Harare, Hong Kong, Istanbul, London, Lusaka, Madrid, Mauritius, Milan, Newcastle, Nice, Orlando, Oslo, Paris, Peshawar, Port Luis, Rome, Stansted, Stockholm, Sydney, Toronto, Trivandrum, Venice, Vienna, Washington, and Warsaw.