Air travel experiences of autistic children/young people

Abstract

Despite the positive association between tourism and quality of life among the general population, a range of challenges has been found to prevent people with disabilities from participating in tourism. Participation in tourism is lower among families with a child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder than among comparable families. Although travelling by airplane has been identified as a particular challenge for these families, few studies investigating air travel experiences have been published. The present study surveyed 97 parents of autistic young people about their experiences of air travel. Participants identified stressors and enablers relevant to these experiences. In particular periods of waiting, crowds, and sensory stimuli emerged as significant stressors across every stage of the air travel process. These factors are discussed in the context of developing effective interventions to improve air travel experiences among autistic young people and their families. Building on these findings will allow researchers to better understand these experiences, better support families, and better address accessibility issues in tourism. Enhancing air travel experiences could allow a cohort of autistic people and their families to enjoy the improved quality of life outcomes that have been reported by tourists in the general population and increase family participation more broadly. A focus on improving customer experience could also entice new customers to air travel and encourage higher frequency of trips for returning customers.