Being on a plane can be stressful for a lot of people. But for children with autism, it can be an especially overwhelming and even frightening.

Alaska Airlines helped make the travel experience easier for 53 families during the recent Sky’s the Limit event at Portland International Airport, providing participants with the opportunity to practice entering the airport, obtaining boarding passes, going through security and boarding an airplane. The aircraft then taxied around the tarmac to simulate a flight, without ever leaving the ground.