Emirates brings Travel Rehearsal program to Zambia | News
Emirates has expanded its Travel Rehearsal program to Zambia, continuing its commitment to making air travel more inclusive and accessible in Africa and around the world.
Uncertainty around airport and aircraft procedures, coupled with concerns about unfamiliar sensory stimuli, are major concerns for travelers and families with accessibility needs. A survey on AutismTravel.com found that 78% of families report being hesitant to travel or visit new places. In its role as the world’s first autism-certified airline, Emirates created the global Travel Rehearsal initiative to help remove this barrier.
In Lusaka, Emirates partnered with Kenneth Kaunda International Airport and AutistismTales Support Group to guide children on the autism spectrum with their caregivers on a simulated, real-time journey through the airport, practicing the actions of checking in, dropping luggage, going through immigration and security and experiencing the hustle and bustle of shopping and dining areas.
Ahmad Ismail, Emirates’ Country Manager in Zambia said: “Our Travel Rehearsal program is an important initiative to empower children and young adults with autism, by making the airport and aircraft experience more predictable and comforting. We are proud to bring it to Zambia and would like to express our gratitude to the entire airport community at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, and AutistismTales Support Group for their role in this groundbreaking event, and to the management and team of Emirates Airport Services in Lusaka, who played an important role in hosting this simulation.”
Urvesh Desai, Managing Director of Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL), welcomed the initiative and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to inclusive and accessible travel experiences:
“At Zambia Airports Corporation Limited, we believe that every passenger deserves a seamless, dignified and enjoyable travel experience. Inclusion is therefore not just a customer service consideration, but a fundamental part of how we design, operate and continually improve our airports.
As airport operators, we recognize that passengers with autism and other hidden disabilities may face unique challenges when traveling. Initiatives like this travel rehearsal are invaluable in helping airports, airlines and other stakeholders better prepare and reduce travel-related fears and create a more supportive and predictable journey for passengers and their families.
Nyakandata Mwaba, founder of AutistismTales Support Group and mother of a neurodiverse child and three others, explained that traveling can be difficult for people on the spectrum and their families as they experience many challenges such as unfamiliar spaces and levels of awareness among service providers. She noted that preparedness on both sides was important to make travel accessible and comfortable for them: “This initiative from Emirates is absolutely encouraging and we are in a better space to travel, knowing that we can find some understanding and accommodation.”
Bupe Masenga, another parent and avid traveler whose son has yet to make his first trip, described the experience as “something that needed to be done” and to “see the areas that needed attention or things that could be done to accommodate children on the spectrum.”
“It was great because he learned what to do, how to board a plane, how to handle the luggage and so on. The whole experience was wonderful and we are all ready to travel,” said Alice Bweupe, mother of a six-year-old son.
“I came with my two children to get a whole airport experience before traveling, and it was such a wonderful experience,” said Chimfwembe, a grateful mother who noted that the initiative helped broaden the children’s perspective on travel.
Since April 2025, Emirates’ Airport Services teams have come together to host more than 40 of these travel rehearsals at airports including 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.
More than 35,000 Emirates employees are trained to support customers with autism and can help facilitate travel and travel rehearsals. Emirates teams work closely with airport authorities and partners to ensure every rehearsal is a supportive and successful experience for families.
