Training Announcement in Recognition of World Tourism Month
April 12, 2020 – LATAM is the first airline group in the region to begin the process of certifying its employees to assist individuals with autism. This follows an agreement reached with Autism Double-Checked (ADC), a U.S. organization dedicated to promoting the most appropriate way to care for individuals with autism spectrum disorder in the travel and tourism industry.
“At LATAM, we dream of a world that does not discriminate, but rather includes; where all people have the same opportunities and are respected and accepted in any environment. Our relationships are based on respect, welcome and empathy for all people, without exception. This vision has led us to begin this process that will allow us to move towards a more inclusive group. We hope to become an even more diverse LATAM from within, supporting the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace in the future,” said Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group.
LATAM will begin today a certification process in the empathetic assistance of people with autism spectrum disorder led by Autism Double-Checked, an organization dedicated to training the most appropriate way to care for people with autism, allowing LATAM employees to generate work environments that are inclusive, respectful and appreciative.
“We are very pleased and impressed with LATAM’s understanding of travel for people with special needs, and the role that they are playing in creating a better onboard environment for autistic passengers. Families with autistic people are eager to travel, and LATAM is opening up new opportunities to this community. With this, LATAM is also demonstrating how much they value their employees by empowering them with professional training. Their leadership in the airline industry is admirable,” said Alan Day, co-founder of Autism Double-Checked.
The training consists of three steps: Autism Aware, which provides the required sensitivity tools; Autism Ready, which provides personnel with job-specific information and training on situations that may arise and how to deal with them; and Autism Double-Checked, that corresponds to the publication of the information so that the autism community can use as a guide to make their flight in LATAM as comfortable as possible.
The certification process is being rolled out on a timeline to include all LATAM subsidiaries (Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Peru). The training will begin for positions that have direct contact with passengers such as cabin crew, airport agents and sales personnel, and then extend to other areas of the company.
ABOUT LATAM AIRLINES GROUP
LATAM Airlines Group S.A. and its subsidiaries are the principle group of airlines in Latin America present in five domestic markets in the region. Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru, in addition to internal operations Latin America and between it and Europe, the United States, and the Caribbean.
The group has a fleet of Boeing 767, 777, 787, Airbus A321, A320, A320neo, and A319 aircraft. LATAM Cargo Chile, LATAM Cargo Colombia and LATAM Cargo Brazil are the LATAM Airlines subsidiaries. In addition to having access to the passenger cargo holds of LATAM Airlines Group, they have a fleet of 11 freighters, which will gradually increase to a total of up to 21 freighters by 2023.
They operate on the LATAM Group network, as well as international routes that are solely used for shipping. They offer modern infrastructure for a wide variety of services and protection options to meet all customer needs.
For LATAM cargo inquiries, write to [email protected]. More financial information is available at www.latamairlinesgroup.net.
ABOUT AUTISM DOUBLE-CHECKED (ADC)
Stamford CT-based ADC, was founded in 2014 by two travel industry veterans Alan Day and David Tait OBE. Alan Day has over 20 years of experience in retail travel and – as the father of an autistic son – he recognized the lack of special needs training in the travel industry. Co-Founder David Tait OBE is a career airline executive and author, who among other things started Virgin Atlantic Airways with Richard Branson in 1984 and ran the airline in the USA for 20 years. Together, Day and Tait, formed ADC with the mission of better preparing travel entities to receive autistic guests while simultaneously readying the autistic guest for what to expect at their destination – the latter is done by way of a customized Visitor’s Guide.