Aspiring Neurodivergent Travelers Get Their First Taste of Flying Thanks to This Florida Airport
Mar 02, 2026 by apost team
For many families, air travel is routine. For others, it can feel overwhelming, unpredictable and simply out of reach. That is why Pensacola International Airport recently opened its doors for something different.
On Feb. 24, 2026, the airport hosted Wings for All, a mock flight experience designed to help neurodivergent travelers become familiar with airport processes before ever stepping onto a real flight. The program was a collaboration between the airport, Delta Air Lines and The Arc Gateway, an organization that supports children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Instead of rushing through crowded terminals, participants could move at a manageable pace. They practiced collecting boarding passes, going through TSA screening, locating their gate and boarding the aircraft. The plane even taxied around the runway, giving everyone a realistic sense of takeoff procedures without ever leaving the ground.
“There’s a lot of things to experience in this country and most of them are really unattainable if you can’t fly there,” Delta Captain Dan Kudrna told FOX 10. “If we can reduce some of that anxiety and make it more comfortable for them by simulating the experience today, maybe it makes it easier on them and their family and the other traveling folks when they do go.”
The Arc Gateway has hosted similar programs, such as Wings for Autism, in the past. Still, chief advancement officer Stephen Rampersad told the Pensacola News Journal that the organization wanted to expand access. In recent years, they have worked toward creating an event open to a broader neurodivergent community.
Stephanie Johnson attended with her 14-year-old granddaughter, Paisley. Stephanie explained that Paisley would not have been able to “just jump right into the real thing.” Now, both of them, including Stephanie, who has never flown either, feel more prepared for the day they decide to book a ticket.
One participant, Aila Trawick, left an especially powerful impression. She told the Pensacola News Journal that she hopes her first real trip will be to New York City. One day, she dreams of a career in space exploration. According to FOX 10, Trawick said:
“I have never been on a plane before and today I think is the best day of my entire life.”
Captain Kudrna admitted Aila’s reaction left him “choked up a little bit,” because she and others like her can now see air travel as something possible. Delta hosts mock flight experiences across the country, and this marked the first in Pensacola.
The airport has already expressed plans to continue working with The Arc Gateway to make Wings for All an annual event. Since 1954, Arc Gateway has quietly been changing lives. For more than seven decades, the organization has opened doors for children and adults with developmental disabilities, offering programs designed not just to support them, but to help them truly thrive.
Their mission has always been simple and deeply human: create opportunities that allow people to realize their dreams and reach their full potential. With the help of members, volunteers and community supporters, Arc Gateway continues to sustain essential services while finding new, thoughtful ways to meet evolving needs. It is not just about care. It is about dignity. It is about independence. It is about possibility.
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What can you say about the Wings for All campaign? Isn’t it amazing for these people? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other loved ones out there to brighten up their day!