“It’s Cool to Fly American Airlines” Program Returns to Assist Passengers with Disabilities

With Covid restrictions easing many are making travel plans for vacations or to visit with family.   While many know and understand the process of flying to their destination, for people with Autism and other disabilities, the experience can cause anxiety, fear, or discomfort.   This can create challenges that may cause someone with disabilities to refuse to fly.

In 2014, American Airlines began the It’s Cool to Fly American Airlines (ICTFA) program.  The program saw success not only for the passengers with disabilities, but also for the employees of the airline.  For team members and those who work on board the aircraft, the ICTFA brought understanding of the difficulty that passengers with autism face and how they can assist families during their journey.  And now after a two year break due to the Covid-19 pandemic, employees are pleased to be able to volunteer to restart the ICTFA program.

The program allows any passenger with special needs to actually rehearse the air travel experience.  This includes going through security, walking to the gate, boarding the plane, taxiing around the tarmac, and hearing and feeling the power of the plane’s thrusters before takeoff.   Making the mock travel experience as realistic as possible allows the people considering travel to understand the routine hustle and bustle of air travel.  The program has helped make a difference by turning worry into excitement. 

The It’s Cool to Fly American Airlines program is coordinated through disability communities and organizations local to each event.  Events are now scheduled for Charlotte, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Cleveland, and San Diego.