Portland International Airport (PDX)’s Sensory Room has a new feature: a partial plane replica. The room, located in Concourse D and designed to help neurodivergent passengers acclimate to the travel process, now contains a set of plane seats donated by Alaska Airlines as well as an overhead bulkhead.
“What is so great about this is it allows an autistic or neurodivergent traveler to become familiar with the actual plane surroundings before boarding,” said Tobi Rates, executive director at Autism Society of Oregon. “This gives the traveler a preview of how the seats will look and feel and what space will be available. Reducing surprises and increasing familiarity help to lessen anxiety and make the transition into the environment of the plane that much easier.”
