JetBlue workers volunteered their time, and the airline absorbed the cost of using the plane for the

NEW YORK (AP) — Tom and Zsuzsa Price arrived Saturday to Kennedy International Airport, their four young children in tow, full of anxiety. Four-year-old Callum has autism and the whole family disney world tickets discount had never been on a plane together.
Tom Price, center, and his wife Zsuzsa, center, walk to the gate with their children, from left, Keira, 6, Hailye, 10, Owen, 9, and Callum, 4, at the JetBlue counter, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013 at JFK airport in New York. Dozens of families with children with autism have practiced air travel at New York s Kennedy International Airport. JetBlue Airways and the nonprofit Autism Speaks held the practice run for families at JFK on Saturday. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
JetBlue Airways and the nonprofit Autism Speaks set up an air travel practice session for families who have children with the disorder. JetBlue officials said it was the first such event at JFK, one of the nation s busiest airports.
Autism spectrum disorders are a group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges and now affects one in 88 children, according to Autism Speaks, which offers support and aims to raise awareness disney world tickets discount of the disorder. JetBlue officials said they wanted to teach their employees tools to help make travel comfortable for people with autism — who represent a growing number of customers.
JetBlue workers volunteered their time, and the airline absorbed the cost of using the plane for the afternoon. About 300 parents and children attended. The Airbus 320 departed the gate and taxied around the tarmac for 20 minutes before returning.
Many of the children had never been on a plane before. Parents were anxious about tantrums sparked by the pilot s request to turn off electronic devices. Some kids wept, others disney world tickets discount laughed and some slept during the brief taxi. Many shied away from agents touching them. One boy opened disney world tickets discount the emergency exit door twice in the gate area, setting off a blaring alarm, triggering more tears. Another girl made it down the boarding bridge but refused, screaming, to get onboard.
Twelve-year-old Nicholas Giangregorio doesn t speak and doesn t like to walk, so his parents Michael and Alison practiced walking down the boarding bridge. He walked slowly, his hands over his ears. The couple travels once a year and calls ahead, reserving the bulkhead seats and asking for priority boarding.
This was just great. We are so grateful, but in reality it is not going to be this easy, said Cathy Russo of Brooklyn. In line, her 6-year-old, Anthony, had buried his head in her stomach, covering his ears, but fell asleep on board.