Patryce Huggins is an United Airlines flight attendant with 16 years of experience. She’s also a mom to a 12-year-old son who has autism.

She said she understands the challenges flying can pose.

“I get how the parents feel bringing their kids in and not knowing what to expect, and for them, it’s all about routine, so I’m here to help make that easy for them," Huggins said.

She hopes travelers use patience and try to understand that delays, sitting still or other aspects of traveling by plane can be hard on others.

“Every kid isn’t the same. It's not a child behaving badly," she said. "There might be something else that's going on. Before you jump to conclusions and think that somebody is acting up, give it a minute. That parent might need a little bit of extra help."

Huggins is grateful for Wings for All, an effort organized by the Arc of Onondaga, United Airlines and the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority. Visitors experience going through security, waiting to board, boarding and sitting on a plane as if it were going somewhere. But it stays on the ground.

Organizers say it’s beneficial for everyone involved.

“Families of the folks that are participating today, they get a ton out of it and that they're able to kind of get maybe like a practice experience to go through all the bells and whistles that is travel," said United Airlines sales manager Stephen Bunkiewicz. "We have a chance to help them experience that, and learn maybe about some different special needs that they may have onboard.”

Two of the many visitors participating were Jillian Wexler and her son Graham. She said there are a lot of things she considers when thinking about flying.

“I'm not sure how he'll deal with the pressure, or even just sitting with a whole bunch of people around him, even though we'll be with him," she said. "Even sometimes putting away his things when we have to board, that might be a challenge. So getting the chance to practice and see how he does before we take a flight is a great idea."

Huggins said she plans to continue helping travelers be comfortable.

“Autism is my life now at this point, and I've done it. I've been on planes and cried with parents before when they go through it. So I'm here for that. I told you earlier, I have the tissues in my pocket. I'm ready. So, you know, just be patient, be kind. You don't know what kind of battle anyone is fighting," Huggins said.

So many families signed up for the event that a waiting list had to be created. There are hopes to have more events like this in the future.

The last time Wings for All took place in this airport was in 2019, before the pandemic.