Dubai, UAE, 22 April 2025: To mark Autism Acceptance Month, Dubai Airports is sharing the voices of those who live it every day—parents of autistic children who navigate the ups and downs of air travel with care, resilience, and practical wisdom.
As part of its commitment to more inclusive travel and following the autism-inclusive training of 45,000 airport employees, Dubai Airports is inviting parents to share their personal experiences, practical travel tips, and reflections on what they wish more fellow travellers understood.
The campaign features heartfelt contributions from three respected voices in the UAE autism community: Yasmin Carey, mother to Ellis; Big Hass, father to Ahmad; and Ambreen Suhaib, mother to twins Muhammed and Hadi. Together, they offer not just practical advice—but also a window into the lived experience of travelling with autism.
Real Advice from Real Families
Yasmin Carey
Planning and preparation are everything, says Yasmin. Her top tip: contact the airline in advance and ask for the DPNA code to be added to your booking—this alerts employees to provide personalised support for passengers with intellectual or developmental disabilities. She also recommends creating a visual travel schedule and choosing flight times that suit your child’s routine - this can be done by referring to Dubai Airports’ website and going through the travel planner for details on the inclusive journey and useful tips embedded within.
Yasmin brings along noise-cancelling headphones, fidget toys, and sunglasses to help Ellis manage sensory overload.
“What might look like a meltdown is often just a way of coping. We’re not asking for special treatment—just a little understanding,” she explains.
Hassan Dennaoui (Big Hass)
For Big Hass, preparation begins days before travel. He recommends walking children through the entire journey ahead of time, making a countdown, and building excitement together. Families can also contact Dubai Airports about the Travel Safari programme, which allows children to conduct travel rehearsals ahead of their actual trip to support with familiarisation and readiness. On travel day, he emphasises the importance of giving yourself plenty of time and not rushing.
He suggests creating a checklist of essentials tailored to your child's specific needs, including favourite foods, comfort items, entertainment devices, backup chargers, and spare clothes. Big Hass also highlights the value of the Sunflower Lanyard for smoother airport navigation.
'People on the autism spectrum have no malice or hate inside them. Once you try to understand autism, you'll understand the hearts of people on the spectrum, and that's the most beautiful thing,' he shares.
Ambreen Suhaib
Ambreen recommends packing a dedicated kit with sensory toys, an iPad, snacks, noise-cancelling headphones, and a spare change of clothes. She advises picking up the Sunflower Lanyard on arrival—even if your child won’t wear it, you can wear it yourself and still receive support. She also suggests checking the airport map in advance, dividing responsibilities if travelling with family, and letting employees know if you prefer to board first or last. Look for the sunflower sign on queues for immigration and police, this will lead to the priority route.
“Autism isn’t always visible. You may not see it, but it’s there. Stimming—things like rocking, clapping, or making sounds—is how our children self-regulate in overwhelming places like airports. Meltdowns aren’t bad behaviour—they’re signs of distress. Please don’t stare. Be kind.”
Join the Conversation
Throughout April, Dubai Airports is encouraging more parents to join the conversation. Whether it's your go-to packing list, boarding routine, or a quiet moment that helped—it could make a real difference for another family. Parents can share their tips and stories on social using #AutismFriendlyTravel and tagging @DXB.
A More Supportive Journey at DXB
Dubai International (DXB) is a Certified Autism Center, providing a range of services to make travel more autism-friendly, including:
- The Sunflower Lanyard: a discreet way to signal hidden disabilities that provides access to priority lanes and an autism-friendly route through check-in, passport control, security checkpoints, and boarding. Available from information desks in Terminal 3 and from Guest Experience Ambassadors (GXA) in all terminals
- Priority sunflower routes: They are marked with the sunflower symbol and aim to reduce waiting through check-in, security, and boarding
- DXB Travel Planner: An online visual guide to help guests prepare for the airport journey
- Complimentary two-hours parking: guests with physical impairments receive complimentary parking for two hours in all terminals at DXB, with designated spaces available in various locations
- Assisted travel lounge: A quiet, sensory-friendly space in Terminal 2
- DPNA Code: DPNA stands for Disabled Passenger with Intellectual or Developmental Disability Needing Assistance. A code introduced by International Air Transport Association (IATA) in 2008, it is typically used in airline bookings to inform travel service providers that the guest requires assistance during their travel
- Guest Experience Ambassadors (GXA): Specially trained employees wearing sunflower pins, ready to help throughout the terminals
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