‘Flight of Love’ offers children with autism real airplane experience

The fourth annual “Flight of Love” for children with autism took place on Wednesday, with 160 passengers from all around Cyprus.

The event was a collaboration between the Mediterranean Flight Safety Foundation (FSF-MED) and TUS Airlines and aims to offer children with autism the experience of a real airplane flight.

The plane took off from Larnaca airport at noon, travelling towards Paphos and circling back to Larnaca via Limassol, its passengers around 100 children alongside their families and escorts.

Speaking at the airport, FSF-MED director Christos Petrou explained that the foundation’s job is to improve air safety in general, while also staging some more social initiatives such as today’s flight.

“This is why, for the fourth year, we have organised this flight for children for autism, knowing that they have specific needs when it comes to travelling,” he said, adding that “it helps the children have a great day, and a great time”.

Hermes Airport CEO Eleni Kalogirou pledged the company’s continued support for the initiative, saying that “It is a priority for Hermes Airports to serve all passengers, without discrimination, and this covers all people who may have visible or invisible disabilities”.

For her part, director of the Nicosia branch of the Pancyprian Association for children with autism, expressed her satisfaction that children were given the opportunity to fly.

“This was named “Flight of Love” because it was arranged with a lot of love, since it is difficult for these children to travel by plane, unlike those of us who are simply used to it,” she said, adding that the event was the result of extensive preparations.

“The joy on the faces of our children is indescribable since we have been discussing the issue of traveling by plane for weeks,” she said.

Philip Saunders, Commercial Director of TUS Airways called today “a wonderful day” and added that the celebration of International Autism Day by several organisations will give many people wonderful memories.

He added that this particular flight “has now become a tradition, and TUS Airways is excited to be a part of it”.