For the second year in a row, The Arc of Essex County, The Arc of New Jersey, and United Airlines are teaming up to bring Wings for All to Newark Liberty International Airport. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, December 7, 2024.
Wings for All is an airport “rehearsal” program created to alleviate some of the stress individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families experience when traveling by air. The program helps ease family concerns regarding how their loved one will react to different stimuli in the airport, such as bright lights, noises, TSA security screening, and crowds. This program aims to give solutions to these concerns to make air travel easier.
Wings for All also gives airport, airline, TSA professionals, and other personnel the opportunity to observe, interact with, and deliver their services in a structured learning environment.
During a Wings for All event, participants:
• Check in to receive their boarding passes
• Pass through the TSA security checkpoint
• Wait in the boarding area
• Board an aircraft (that does not take off)
The program also features a presentation on the aircraft’s features and in-flight safety protocols. In addition, it gives families the opportunity to visit the Sensory Room in Terminal A, which is a calming space for families who need a sensory break during their airport visit.
After the 2023 event, a follow-up survey with participating families showed extreme satisfaction with the experience. One respondent wrote “Everyone was welcoming, it was very well planned event… This is a wonderful opportunity and a great resource.”
In a question about what should be said to a family considering attending Wings for All, another respondent wrote, “Like Nike… just do it! You will not regret it and you will learn a great deal about how to prepare and what your kid can handle. In fact he/she may surprise you with how resilient they are!”
Registration for Wings for All is free, click here to sign up (or, if full, to be added to the waitlist).