Virgin Atlantic is introducing mandatory autism awareness training for cabin crew to help staff better support autistic passengers throughout the inflight experience.

Virgin Atlantic is rolling out a new autism awareness training programme for all cabin crew as part of its wider push to make air travel more inclusive for passengers with non-visible disabilities.

Developed in partnership with autism travel specialists Autism Double-Checked (ADC), the accredited digital training launches this May and will become part of annual recurrent learning for all cabin crew. The programme is designed to give crew members practical tools to better support autistic travellers during flights, including recognising sensory sensitivities, identifying signs of distress and adapting communication styles to provide reassurance.

The mandatory training consists of two modules. The first focuses on general autism awareness, while the second is tailored specifically to the cabin crew role and the inflight experience. Virgin Atlantic says the content has been shaped by its aviation medicine, accessibility and passenger health teams, alongside employees with personal experience of autism, including parents of autistic children.

The airline plans to extend the autism awareness training to all customer-facing ground teams in 2026, with the aim of creating a more consistent travel experience from airport check-in through to arrival.

Becky Woodmansee, chief people officer at Virgin Atlantic, says: "At Virgin Atlantic, we're committed to making sure everyone can take on the world. We know that for autistic customers and their families, flying can be a unique and unfamiliar environment which presents challenges. By listening to our customers and working with autism travel specialists Autism Double-Checked, alongside our own people who have personal experience of autism, we've built a training programme that gives every crew member the understanding and confidence to make a real difference onboard."

According to the National Autistic Society, autistic people can experience heightened sensitivity to noise, lighting, crowds and unfamiliar environments, making airports and aircraft cabins particularly stressful. Airlines have increasingly been exploring ways to make journeys more accessible through sensory support, clearer communication and specialist staff training.

Alan Day, founder and CEO of Autism Double-Checked, says: "For autistic travellers and their families, knowing that every crew member on a flight has been trained to understand and support their needs is such a positive step in the right direction. We're proud to have developed this programme with Virgin Atlantic and hope it sets a new standard for the industry."

The move reflects growing demand across the travel sector for better accessibility and more inclusive customer service. Airports including Gatwick and Heathrow have introduced sensory rooms and hidden disability support schemes in recent years, while airlines have expanded training around neurodiversity and invisible disabilities.

Virgin Atlantic says the new autism awareness training builds on a broader accessibility strategy already underway at the airline. In 2024, it introduced British Sign Language training for cabin crew in partnership with deaf-led organisation Remark!. The airline also established an Accessibility Advisory Board made up of people with lived experience of accessible travel to help shape future policies and services.

For cabin crew member Aeron Lloyd-Wren, who has an autistic son, the training has personal significance as well as professional value.

He says: "My son is autistic, and I've experienced first-hand both the joys and the challenges that travel can bring. As cabin crew, we're in a unique position. Small adjustments such as understanding sensory sensitivities, communicating clearly and offering reassurance can completely transform a family's journey. For me, this isn't just training. It's about dignity, inclusion, and ensuring that families like mine feel welcome when they travel with us."