LATAM, distinguished for training its employees in caring for passengers with autism

More than 10,000 employees certified in the care of passengers with autism spectrum and the implementation of a lanyard that makes invisible disabilities visible, are the new measures that LATAM is implementing to improve the travel experience of passengers with autism.

The initiatives were possible thanks to the support of Autism Double-Checked, an organization dedicated to preparing and promoting in the industry a more appropriate care for people with autism and the Sunflower program for invisible disabilities, which seeks to discreetly facilitate the identification of people in a situation disability that cannot be recognized with the naked eye.

LATAM thus became the first airline group in the region to receive certification for training its employees to assist passengers with autism and to join the Sunflower program for invisible disabilities.

“Some conditions associated with travel such as noise and crowds make this experience quite a challenge for people with autism. At LATAM we want to be a contribution to a world that does not discriminate, but rather includes, which is why, together with Autism Double-Checked and Sunflower, we have joined forces to generate change processes that will allow a better travel experience for our passengers. Surely, we will not be able to cover all the situations that may occur, but we believe that these initiatives help us to be better prepared”, says Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group.

The more than 10,000 collaborators completed a training that considers three steps: Autism Aware, which provides the required sensitivity tools. Autism Ready, which provides workers with job-specific information and training on situations that may arise and how to address them. And Autism Double-Checked, which corresponds to the publication of information so that the autism community can be guided and make their flight in LATAM more enjoyable.

"We are very pleased and impressed with the understanding that the LATAM group has about travel for people with special needs and the role they are playing in creating a better environment on board for autistic passengers. Families with autistic people are looking forward to travel and the LATAM group is opening up new opportunities for this community”, says Alan Day, co-founder of Autism Double-Checked

Likewise, the LATAM group joined the Sunflower program for invisible disabilities, which aims to facilitate the identification of passengers who have a disability that cannot be seen with the naked eye by means of a lanyard. In this first stage of implementation, LATAM will make the lanyard available to passengers with low vision, hearing loss and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This will be available free of charge and can be requested at the check-in counters of the main airports where the group operates.

“We are very pleased that the first airline in South America, LATAM, has joined the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower global network. This allows passengers with an invisible disability to be even closer to being recognized and supported wherever they travel by using their Sunflower lanyard. Likewise, we congratulate LATAM for working with Autism Double-Checked and making it easier for autistic passengers to have a more enjoyable flight”, says Paul White, CEO of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.

The announced initiatives come to complement the work that the group is carrying out to improve the care of passengers with autism, such as providing access to the counter and boarding for special services. In addition, the language has been standardized, using appropriate and inclusive terminology in the group's communications and procedure manuals to refer to people with disabilities.