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Autism Family Travel Guide

Special Assistance at Enfidha Airport

special assistance at Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport

Flying through Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport with an autistic child, hidden disability, mobility needs, or additional support requirements can feel overwhelming, especially when travelling abroad.

The good news is that special assistance is available at Enfidha Airport for passengers who need extra help. This can include support with check-in, security, boarding, disembarking, and moving through the airport more comfortably.

If your child struggles with queues, sensory overload, transitions, or unfamiliar environments, booking airport assistance can make a huge difference.

If you are planning a wider trip to Tunisia, check out my guide to visiting Tunisia with autistic children.

Quick Wins For Special Assistance at Enfidha-Hammamet Airport

  • Request special assistance when booking your flight if possible
  • If already booked, contact your airline at least 48 hours before departure
  • Arrive earlier than usual so staff have time to organise support
  • Use the DPNA code if travelling with an autistic or neurodivergent child
  • Ask about hidden disability support, quieter waiting areas, or priority boarding
  • Keep medication, comfort items, and important documents in hand luggage

Who Can Use Special Assistance at Enfidha-Hammamet?

Special assistance is not just for wheelchair users.

You can request help if you or your child has:

  • Autism
  • ADHD
  • Sensory processing difficulties
  • Anxiety around airports or flying
  • A hidden disability
  • Reduced mobility
  • A medical condition affecting travel
  • Temporary injuries
  • Visual or hearing impairments
  • Difficulty managing queues, crowds, or long walks

Many families travelling with autistic children use assistance purely for airport navigation and reducing stress. Learn more about the support you can get at the airport as a person with a disability or hidden disability.

Using the DPNA Code at Enfidha-Hammamet Airport

DPNA stands for Disabled Passenger with Intellectual or Developmental Disability Needing Assistance.

This code can be added to your flight booking and is especially helpful for autistic children and adults, even when there are no physical mobility issues.

It helps airline and airport staff understand that support may be needed with:

  • Communication
  • Processing instructions
  • Sensory overload
  • Waiting in queues
  • Boarding and transitions
  • Unexpected changes

If your airline does not mention DPNA, simply explain your child’s needs and ask for it to be added manually. If you are new to the DPNA code, my guide explains what DPNA is and how it can help travellers with hidden disabilities.

I wanted to mentioned that when we flew out of Enfidha-Hammamet Airport we had a different code on our boarding passes – SSRS. SSR in this context means ‘special service request’ which is another way of saying the passenger asked for special asssistance. I believe they used SSRS in place of DPNA, but I am unsure why exactly.

Airports and airlines use codes to explain, categorise or group certain things – you can learn more about the codes they use in my guide. When it comes to disabilities and special service requests, the codes are 4 letters long and have a specific meaning. Each one tells airport and airline staff what type of help the passenger needs. I have a seperate guide about airport and airline disability codes that helps you understand them and who should use them.

How to Book Special Assistance at Enfidha Airport

In most cases, you do not book directly with the airport. You request assistance through your airline, holiday provider, or travel agent. However, Enfidha-Hammamet Airport does have a webpage dedicated to special assistance services which has a lot of information on it that can help you while you plan your trip to Tunisia.

This is especially common for package holidays to Tunisia.

Try to request support:

  • At the time of booking, or
  • At least 48 hours before departure

You may be asked:

  • Whether wheelchair support is needed
  • Whether help is needed through security
  • If assistance is needed for boarding
  • Whether the passenger has autism or another hidden disability
  • If travelling with medical equipment or medication

Be specific. Saying “autistic child who struggles with queues and busy waiting areas” is far more helpful than simply saying “special needs.”

You can also use the PRM Assist app to make a special service request – but the most reliable way is to contact the airline directly. I would recommend using PRM Assist to make a booking anyway so you can track your bookings and have a backup.

Contact Enfidha-Hammamet Airport Assistance Services Department

You can contact the airport special assistance team directly, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The staff are trained in travelling with a disability and are respectful and prompt at helping passengers plan their travel through Enfidha-Hammamet Airport with a disability. There are also multi-lingual staff on hand to help passengers in different languages.

Telephone: 00 216 73 103 000

What Help You Can Expect at Enfidha-Hammamet Airport

Depending on your needs, support may include:

  • Help from the terminal entrance to check-in
  • Assistance through passport control and security
  • Priority or supported boarding
  • Help reaching the departure gate
  • Buggy or wheelchair transport if needed
  • Support during arrival and baggage collection
  • Assistance to the arrivals area or transfer transport

If you are travelling with a pushchair, mobility aid, or medical equipment, staff can also help guide you through the process.

For a breakdown of the type of help you can get at the airport, my guide discusses this in detail.

Hidden Disabilities and Autism Support

Airport support for hidden disabilities can vary more outside the UK, so it helps to prepare in advance.

Not all staff may be familiar with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard scheme, but it can still be useful for visually signalling that extra patience may be needed.

Useful things to bring include:

  • Sunflower lanyard
  • Noise-cancelling headphones
  • Safe snacks
  • Familiar comfort items
  • Tablet or favourite activity
  • Printed boarding passes
  • Medication and medical letters if needed

A visual plan of the airport journey can also help reduce anxiety.

Arrival Tips for Enfidha Airport

Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport is often used by families travelling to resorts in Hammamet, Sousse, Port El Kantaoui, and Yasmine Hammamet. If you are planning a trip to Yasmine Hammamet, my guide explains what to expect when visiting Yasmine Hammamet with autistic children.

During peak holiday seasons, queues can be long and the terminal can become busy and noisy.

That makes pre-booked assistance especially valuable for families with autistic children or sensory-sensitive travellers.

If you are travelling on a package holiday, check whether your transfer company is aware of any mobility needs too.

Airport assistance usually ends once you reach your arrivals area or transfer point.

Medication and Medical Equipment

If you are travelling with prescription medication, controlled medication, or items like EpiPens, nebulisers, or feeding equipment, always keep these in your hand luggage.

Bring:

  • Original packaging
  • Prescription labels
  • A GP or doctor’s letter where appropriate
  • Extra supplies in case of delays

This is especially important when travelling internationally.

My guides to travelling with ADHD, what to include on a medication letter for travelling, and flying with medical luggage are a great place to start planning your trip with medicines and medical equipment.

Special assistance at Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport can completely change the airport experience for families travelling with autistic children or additional needs and you do not need to wait until things become difficult to ask for support.

Booking help early can mean less stress, fewer meltdowns, smoother transitions, and a much better start to your holiday.

If flying feels overwhelming, this is one of the easiest travel tools to make the journey more manageable.

Continue Planning Your Tunisia Trip With Autistic Children

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