Emirates showcased new accessibility initiatives at the AccessAbilities Expo 2026 in Dubai, highlighting technologies and services designed to help passengers with disabilities travel with greater independence, including its travel rehearsal programme, which has also been held at Larnaca airport.
The airline presented its latest concepts at an interactive stand at the Dubai World Trade Centre, where the expo took place from October 19 to 21, bringing together accessibility solutions and inclusive innovation.
The exhibition was opened by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group and patron of AccessAbilities Expo.
Among the concepts presented by Emirates were an aircraft cabin familiarisation experience for passengers with partial or total vision loss, an accessible lounge suite for people with limited mobility, and biometric boarding gates designed to accommodate passengers with accessibility needs.
“Our ambition is to help shape a more inclusive future for aviation by placing accessibility at the heart of the passenger experience,” said Mostafa Karam, divisional senior vice-president for customer affairs and service audit at Emirates.
“We are not limiting ourselves to individual services, but working with our partners to examine accessibility at every stage of the journey, from planning and the airport environment to the onboard experience and destinations,” Karam added.
“Guided by passengers’ needs and personal experiences, we are focusing on practical improvements that reduce barriers, widen choice and enable everyone to travel with greater clarity, confidence, independence and dignity,” he said.
Cabin familiarisation and accessible airport technology
One of the main attractions at the Emirates stand was an immersive experience designed to simulate key aspects of travelling in an aircraft cabin for passengers with partial or total vision loss.
Combining audio, tactile exploration of the seat and guided interaction with staff, the experience recreates important moments onboard in a calm, carefully designed environment.
Visitors could try it while seated in a genuine Emirates A350 aircraft seat fitted with a U-Dream headrest.
Audio narration describes features of the surrounding cabin, demonstrating how thoughtful design can help passengers understand their surroundings, build confidence and travel more independently and comfortably.
The airline also presented its Emirates Biometric Path system, used at its main hub in Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport.
The accessible boarding gates are designed without physical barriers and use biometric technology to help passengers with accessibility needs move through the airport more smoothly and independently.
The area now features flexible camera coverage, with cameras automatically adjusting their height and angle without restricting the movement of passengers using specialised wheelchairs.
Emirates has also upgraded its self-service check-in kiosks with text-to-speech functionality, improved touchscreen usability, Braille and tactile features, headphone connectivity for audio access and height-adjustable screens.
New accessible lounge suite
The airline unveiled a prototype of a dedicated lounge suite designed for wheelchair users and passengers with limited mobility, offering a private and comfortable space to rest before a flight.
Emirates first introduced its lounge suites in first-class lounges in 2024, combining premium finishes with features such as wireless charging and entertainment screens, alongside space to relax, work and dine.
The new accessible version is intended for wheelchair users, older travellers and people who need additional room, assistance transferring into and out of a seat, or support with posture.
Following the design of Emirates lounges, it incorporates wood, leather and marble finishes, together with an electrically adjustable armchair offering lift, swivel and recline functions, as well as support handles.
A dedicated wheelchair storage area and sufficient transfer space are also included, allowing passengers to use the suite independently or with assistance from a companion.
The prototype is being developed for first class, with the possibility of extending the concept to other cabin classes in the future.
Travel rehearsals include Larnaca
Emirates also highlighted its existing Travel Rehearsals programme, which works with airports worldwide to help autistic children and young adults, together with their families and support networks, familiarise themselves with the airport journey before taking a real flight.
The sessions are intended to reduce travel-related anxiety and build confidence by allowing participants to practise the different stages of moving through an airport in advance.
More than 35,000 Emirates employees have received training to support passengers on the autism spectrum and help facilitate both their journeys and their participation in the rehearsals.
The airline’s teams work with airport authorities and other partners to create a supportive and positive environment for families taking part.
Emirates has so far completed 80 Travel Rehearsals across six continents, benefiting more than 400 families.
The programme has been held at airports including Larnaca, Athens, Amsterdam, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Paris, Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, New York, Los Angeles, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Delhi, Tokyo and Hong Kong, among many others.
Online travel support and sensory products
The airline also directs passengers to its Accessible and Inclusive Travel Hub on Emirates.com, which provides information about accessibility services and assistance to help them plan their journeys.
Passengers can browse information according to their needs, including mobility assistance, visual or hearing difficulties and other non-visible support requirements.
They can also search by journey stage, covering preparation before a flight, departure from Dubai, the onboard experience, connections in Dubai and arrival in the city.
Other resources include information on requesting special assistance, a travel guide for passengers on the autism spectrum, maps and sensory guides for Dubai International Airport, and access to Emirates support through the Be My Eyes app for people with vision loss.
The hub also provides information on applying for Dubai’s Sanad tourist card, which offers access to useful services in the city.
Dedicated sections cover travelling with wheelchairs and mobility aids, as well as medical travel. These include the Frequent Traveller Medical Card, known as FREMEC, for eligible passengers with stable medical needs, alongside guidance on carrying medicines and medical devices.
Family travel information covers flying with children, travelling during pregnancy and arrangements for unaccompanied minors.
Emirates has also developed sensory products and activity toys for passengers of all ages, available onboard across all cabin classes.
The items are intended to provide familiar tactile activities that may help some neurodivergent passengers manage sensory input, concentrate or feel more comfortable during a flight.
They include an aircraft-shaped tactile stress-relief item, two types of fidget cube and a stretchy, aircraft-shaped popper toy.
The products may be offered to neurodivergent passengers, people experiencing difficulties during a flight and those who feel anxious about flying, where appropriate.
Accessibility features in onboard entertainment
Emirates’ ice inflight entertainment system offers more than 850 films with closed captions for deaf and hard-of-hearing passengers, alongside 200 films with audio description for passengers with vision loss.
The airline’s headphones are also compatible with hearing aids when the devices are switched to the T setting.
For passengers seeking relaxation or help managing anxiety, the entertainment system includes 12 wellbeing television channels and 31 channels featuring podcasts and playlists of meditation content and calming sounds.
On its Airbus A350-900 aircraft, Emirates has developed a new user interface in collaboration with Thales and organisations supporting people with vision loss.
The interface includes audio navigation cues, voice announcements and support for touch and swipe gestures, allowing passengers with partial or total vision loss to browse and select entertainment more independently.
Accessible chauffeur-driven vehicles in Dubai
Emirates has made 10 wheelchair-accessible branded vehicles available to passengers in Dubai through its Chauffeur Drive service.
The vehicles are Mercedes V-Class models modified with lowered floors for easier and safer access, increased interior height, an electrically operated passenger entry and exit mechanism, and adaptable seating arrangements.
Additional restraint systems are fitted to improve safety for passengers with significant mobility limitations.
Chauffeur Drive staff receive training in mobility assistance and in serving passengers with accessibility needs.
For now, the vehicles are available to eligible first-class and business-class passengers whose Chauffeur Drive service is based in Dubai, with plans to expand availability in the future.
Emirates’ wider accessibility commitments
The airline said it was continuing to develop accessible travel solutions gradually, prioritising innovation while focusing on measures it considers appropriate and responsible.
It is also working with international partners, including regulators, airport operators, specialist organisations, communities and passengers, to improve accessibility throughout the travel experience.
Emirates aims to strengthen accessibility through greater international standardisation of procedures and a consistent passenger experience across online services, call centres, airports and aircraft.
The airline began operating in Cyprus in 1994 and has served more than 2.1 million passengers in the Cypriot market over the past 32 years.
Founded in 1985 with two aircraft, Emirates has grown into the world’s largest international airline.
Its ice entertainment system offers more than 6,500 channels, while the airline also highlights the hospitality and personalised service provided by its multicultural cabin crew.