News and Knowledge

Airports. They can be a sensory nightmare for many autistic individuals. From the thousands of people pushing and shoving their way to the gate and on the plane, invading one’s personal boundaries in the process, to the heightened sensory sensitivities of the loudspeaker, thousands of conversations occurring at once, and the sound of planes taking off every five minutes. Not to mention, the anxiety of the awkwardness in attempting to converse with the stewards on the flight. 

However, few people know that some airports are trying to become more neuro-inclusive to accommodate the needs of neurodivergent passengers.  

I was recently at Dulles airport flying to a conference in Seattle, Washington. As an autistic person, there are several sensory experiences I fiercely dislike, with one of the biggest being boarding the initial flight. I hate the feeling of being shoved whilst simultaneously pushing past people, just to get to my seat. I dislike strangers touching me in any capacity. 

As I knew my needs and the accommodations that would best support me, I went up to one of the service agents at the gate and asked if I could do priority boarding for my disability – which essentially meant I would be one of the first people to board. I was nervous at first because I would be disclosing that I had a disability to a stranger. As it turned out;, however, I did not have to disclose my specific disability, nor did I have to explain how my disability affected my ability to board the flight. They told me they were more than happy to allow me access to priority boarding, and as such, I boarded the plane before the other groups, This allowed me the time, space, and spoons I needed to put my carry-on in the overhead without touching or interacting with other people. 

The interaction with Dulles Airport staff was a great representation of neuro-inclusion and demonstrated an understanding and respect for the accommodations process on both sides. As an autistic person, I advocated for my needs and the Dulles staff responded in kind by granting my request without asking for disclosure or proof of disability.