Emirates has introduced new services and products for people with disabilities at the 7th AccessAbilities Expo at Dubai World Trade Centre. The airline’s offerings include an Accessible & Inclusive Travel Hub on its website, providing information for travellers with varying accessibility needs and allowing journey planning by specific requirements.
Emirates also unveiled new onboard sensory products and fidget toys, enhancements across the in-flight experience, improved on-ground features at Dubai hub, and initiatives under development.
The Accessible & Inclusive Travel Hub contains information on Mobility Assistance, Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment, and Hidden Disabilities. Customers can explore sections by journey stage: Before your flight, Departure from Dubai, Onboard your flight, Connecting in Dubai, and Arriving in Dubai. They can also browse by specific needs, such as booking special assistance, autism-friendly travel guides, Dubai Airport maps, Be My Eyes support, and applying for a Sanad tourist card.
Other sections cover Travelling with a Wheelchair and Mobility Aids, Medical Travel, and Family Travel, including Travelling with Children, Travelling during pregnancy, and Unaccompanied Minors.
From November 1, 2025, sensory products and fidget toys will be available in all cabin classes. These include a tactile stress reliever, two types of fidget cube, and a rubber popper, provided to neurodiverse passengers, those struggling onboard, and nervous flyers if required. In Business Class, a new mattress hood secures the seat mattress, reducing disruption for customers with mobility disabilities.
Emirates’ in-flight entertainment system, ice, now offers more than 600 movies with closed captions and 200 with audio description. Headphones are compatible with hearing aids in the ‘T’ position. The Airbus A350-900 features a redesigned interface with audio cues, voice metadata, touch and swipe support, and access to audio-descriptive content.
At Terminal 3, Dubai International, barrier-free corridors with biometric access enable independent movement. Self-service kiosks have text-to-speech functionality, braille and tactile features, headphone jacks, and adjustable heights.
Emirates has also introduced a wheelchair-accessible Mercedes V250 van for its Chauffeur Drive service, with electric lift and safety restraints, available for First and Business Class customers in Dubai and expanding to 10 vehicles by early 2026.
Furthermore, Emirates has established an Office of Accessibility and Inclusion and became the world’s first autism-certified airline in March 2025. More than 35,000 staff have received training, and the Travel Rehearsal initiative has been rolled out in 17 countries.
The airline continues to develop policies, products, and processes to improve accessibility across online, call centre, airport, and in-flight services.
