Toronto Pearson Helps Neurodivergent Travellers Prepare for Flying with Hands-On Airport Rehearsal

More than 200 people joined the fourth Ready, Set, Fly with YYZ event, practising check-in, security and aircraft boarding with Air Transat and Autism Ontario.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• More than 200 participants joined the fourth Ready, Set, Fly with YYZ airport rehearsal in October 2026.
• Toronto Pearson partnered with Autism Ontario and Air Transat to support autistic and neurodivergent travellers.
• Activities included practising check-in, security screening, aircraft boarding and other travel procedures.
• The initiative complements Toronto Pearson’s wider accessibility services and travel rehearsal programme.

Toronto Pearson International Airport has taken more than 200 autistic and neurodivergent participants through a practice air-travel journey, giving them an opportunity to experience airport procedures before the pressures of an actual departure day. The fourth annual Ready, Set, Fly … with YYZ programme, held on October 18, 2026, was organised with Autism Ontario and Air Transat.

Rather than simply explaining what travellers can expect, the hands-on event allowed participants and their families to encounter familiar steps of a flight in a supported setting. The programme covered check-in, security screening, boarding and customs procedures, as well as conversations with airport personnel. Its aim is to make the airport environment more familiar and future journeys easier to plan.

Practising the journey without taking a flight

In its announcement of this year’s event, Toronto Pearson said the recurring exercise is part of its broader effort to improve accessibility for passengers with both visible and non-visible disabilities. For people who may find the pace, sensory stimulation or uncertainty of an airport difficult, experiencing the sequence beforehand can help build a clearer picture of what travel involves.

The 2026 event information from Autism Ontario described a mock trip at Terminal 3: participants could check in, pass through security, take their seats aboard an aircraft and observe a flight attendant’s safety demonstration, without the aircraft taking off. The event was free, with advance registration required.

Hamilton Vincent de Paul, Toronto Pearson’s Director of Terminal Experience and Groundside Services, said the partnership helps participants become more comfortable with check-in, security, boarding, customs and staff interactions, making prospective travel more predictable and less stressful.

Marg Spoelstra, Chief Executive Officer of Autism Ontario, emphasised the value of practising airport procedures without the time pressure of an actual departure. She said the collaboration also gives the community and travel partners a way to identify and reduce barriers to flying.

For Air Transat, the exercise includes making an aircraft and crew knowledge available to participants. Andréan Gagné, Senior Director of Communications, Public Affairs and Corporate Responsibility at Transat, said the airline has supported the initiative from its beginning to help families prepare for their planned journeys.

Beyond the annual event

The fourth edition builds on an initiative that has become a recurring part of Toronto Pearson’s accessibility outreach. Its 2025 programme also brought families through airport procedures, while the airport maintains a separate travel rehearsal programme for passengers with disabilities who want to become familiar with their journey.

According to the event organiser’s preparation guidance, attendees could also learn about hidden-disability sunflower lanyards and use resources such as a Toronto Pearson activity book and the MagnusCards app. The materials give families practical ways to plan beyond a single rehearsal day.

The collaboration highlights an aspect of accessible aviation that extends beyond physical infrastructure: the opportunity for travellers to understand the journey in advance, ask questions and rehearse potentially unfamiliar steps. The Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which operates Toronto Pearson, says the programme forms part of its work to make the airport more inclusive for different passenger needs.