When Paula McClinton’s son Thomas was diagnosed with autism at age four, the idea of him ever boarding a plane, let alone flying across the UK, seemed impossible. But today, at age 20, Thomas has already completed his first successful flight and fulfilled a lifelong dream: visiting Peppa Pig World in Southampton.

Thomas’s story is one of many made possible by Autism in the Air, an innovative training and awareness project, led by Dr Nichola Booth, that gives autistic people and their families the chance to experience air travel in a supportive, stress-free way.

Developed in collaboration with Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast City Airport, and industry partners, the programme combines expert training for airport and airline staff with carefully planned “flight familiarisation” sessions. These sessions allow families to walk through security, board a plane, and in some cases, even take part in a short flight, all without the pressure of an actual travel day.

For Thomas, that first experience was life-changing.

“We’d known about Autism in the Air for years,” says his mother Paula, “but I could never picture Thomas on a plane. He used to have a lot of anxiety and behavioural challenges. It just didn’t feel possible.”

But after encouragement from a family friend who works at the airport, Paula signed them up for a walk-through event. They went through check-in and security, boarded a real aircraft, and sat in their seats just as they would on a normal flight. And Thomas loved it.

Soon after, the family took part in a 20-minute flight over Belfast, part of a new element of the project designed to gently introduce participants to the full flying experience.

“I was more nervous than Thomas!” Paula laughs. “He was comforting me, saying, ‘Mummy, are you OK?’ He was just delighted. It gave him so much confidence.”

A dream realised

What happened next exceeded anything the family expected. After seeing Thomas’s joy on the trial flight, Emerald Airlines, the regional Aer Lingus company, stepped in to offer free tickets to Southampton. Peppa Pig World, - Thomas’s ultimate destination -  even gifted them admission.

“If you’d told me a year ago that Thomas would fly, I’d have said absolutely not,” Paula says. “But the project opened up a whole new world for him. He was in his element, chatting to staff, wearing his Peppa Pig t-shirt, queuing up with kids half his age. It was magic.”

The trip was more than just a family holiday, it was a symbol of what’s possible when the right support is in place.

“He used to be so dependent on me,” Paula explains. “But this has given him independence, and us as a family more freedom. We can now think about future trips. That would never have happened without this programme.”

A broader impact

Thomas is just one of many young people to benefit. Other families have reported reduced anxiety, greater enthusiasm for travel, and an increased sense of confidence for their children and themselves.

The programme also helps raise awareness and build understanding among airport staff and the public. By training frontline staff in autism awareness and creating sensory-friendly experiences, Autism in the Air ensures that air travel becomes more inclusive, not just for one day, but long-term.

“You don’t get that kind of support everywhere,” Paula says. “Everyone we dealt with, from the airport team to the airline, just said, ‘Tell us what you need.’ That makes such a difference.”

Building confidence, one flight at a time

Travel can be daunting for any family. But for those with children on the autism spectrum, it can feel out of reach. Thanks to Autism in the Air, families like Paula and Thomas’s are discovering that the skies really are open to them, and that with understanding, patience, and the right preparation, flying doesn’t have to be something to fear.

Instead, it can be something to celebrate.

“We’ll definitely go back to Peppa Pig World,” Paula says. “But now we know it doesn’t have to stop there.”

Discover more impact stories at qub.ac.uk/180.