For National Autism Awareness Month, JetBlue is hosting a special program from families with children who have autism. Through their "Wings for Autism" program, JetBlue is helping make travel easier for children with special needs.
Through the "Wings for Autism" JetBlue trains their crewmembers to deal with children who have autism. The program also allows families to practice the boarding process and provides families with the time, resources and compassion for their children to become more comfortable with traveling.
"Wings for Autism" hosts a field trip that allows families to become comfortable with travel. In this trip, JetBlue crewmember provide assistance as families are able to access a stationary JetBlue plane for families to practice the boarding process. This allows families to become familiar with the inside of a plane and they also get to meet pilots and other crewmembers. JetBlue also hosts family activities and provides snacks.
This program takes place in Boston on April 6 from 9am to 1 pm. Families interested in participating, should visit Charlesrivercenter.org.
"'Every child deserves the chance to go on a vacation with his or her family. 'Wings For Autism' introduces travel to families affected by autism, many of whom thought travel was not ever going to be a possibility," said Ian Deason , director of airport operations, JetBlue in a release. "Flying is our core business. Our crewmembers found an extraordinary way to utilize our work to provide an invaluable experience to a previously underserved community. Our core values include caring, integrity and passion which our crewmembers live on a daily basis. It is truly inspiring to see our crew be able to make the dream of a family vacation a reality."
JetBlue worked with The Charles River Center, Massachusetts Port Authority and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to create "Wings for Autism" in 2011. Since then crewmember volunteer every year to run the program. More than 400 families in Boston have been able to participate in the program so far.
"The Charles River Center realized there was a need for a program like this but we never expected Logan Airport, MassPort and JetBlue to respond so positively. The team we've created here in Boston is making a difference in so many people's lives and allowing these children to experience their world," stated Jennifer Robtoy , director of autism services, The Charles River Center. "The idea that families have a whole world opened up to them from participating in our program is truly amazing. All of the volunteers at these events are the key to making the program as realistic as possible and I can't thank everyone enough for all they've done for all of these families."
JetBlue is expanding this program to other cities this year. The first "Wings for Autism" program will be held at Burbank Bob Hope Airport (BUR). On May 4. There will be another program later this year at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
