From Avoiding Airports To Helping Families Travel: Maria Coyle’s Story

For years, Maria Coyle avoided family holidays altogether. The thought of navigating a busy airport with her children proved overwhelming. The noise, queues, uncertainty and pressure of keeping everything moving often seemed like too much to take on. Today, Maria walks through those same airport terminals every day in an OCS uniform.

As a Passenger Services Agent at Dublin Airport, Maria now helps families through journeys that once felt impossible for her own. She supports passengers with different needs, guides people through stressful moments and understands something that cannot always be taught in training: what it feels like to stand in someone else’s shoes. This Disability Pride Month, in partnership with Scope, OCS is sharing Maria’s story.

One Agent Changed What a Family Thought Was Possible

Maria is a mother of four sons, two of whom have autism. Before discovering OCS passenger services, travelling simply did not feel achievable and was ‘not worth the hassle’. An autism charity encouraged her to contact the Passenger Services Team before a family trip. Maria remained unconvinced. She had experienced the stress before and worried that if things became too difficult, they would simply turn around and go home.

Then something unexpected happened. Maria and her family met Denise, a Passenger Services Agent who immediately changed the experience.

The practical support mattered. It was the way Denise approached her family that stayed with Maria. She did not speak over the children or direct everything through Maria. She spoke directly to Reuben and Danny, Maria’s two sons.

Immediately, the pressure eased. Maria no longer had to worry about security queues, boarding passes, gate changes, or constantly checking information screens. For the first time, she could focus on her family instead of managing every detail around them, and for the mother of autistic children, that is huge.

Lived Experience is the Part that Cannot be Trained

Two years into her role with OCS, Maria sees similar situations every day. She sees parents already arriving, carrying the stress and anxiety of travel, children becoming overwhelmed, and parents worrying about whether they can manage the journey ahead. Most importantly, she sees what happens when support is provided in the right way.

That same care shapes how she supports older passengers. Some are hesitant to accept help or use a wheelchair for the first time. Maria understands the importance of preserving dignity and independence. She keeps it simple: talk to the person, listen to what they actually need, and help them feel comfortable in their own time.

Inclusion Begins Before Families Reach the Sensory Room

Maria is also passionate about improving accessibility and inclusion beyond the day-to-day support she provides. Dublin Airport has sensory rooms in both terminals. Designed to support passengers who may feel overwhelmed by the airport environment, the spaces can provide either a calming environment or a more interactive sensory experience, depending on individual needs. The rooms include features such as bubble wall areas, infinity lights, tactile panels, bean bags, comfortable seating, interactive educational boards and quiet spaces designed to help reduce stress and create a sense of comfort. The newer sensory room in Terminal Two also includes sensory lighting and calming spaces that Maria describes as “heaven for people who need it”.

For families who benefit from them, the impact can be immediate. They create a quieter environment away from the noise, movement and pressure which can make travel feel overwhelming.

Maria sees a gap, though. From her own experience and from supporting passengers every day, she believes the most difficult part of the journey often happens before families even reach these spaces. Landside areas and security can feel overwhelming due to crowds, noise, and waiting times. Her vision is practical and grounded in lived experience: sensory spaces before security, visual journey guides and tools that help families understand each stage before they arrive.

Pride is a Parent Who can Finally Travel

For Maria, Disability Pride Month is about understanding people and creating environments where they feel included and supported. Her own experiences changed the way she sees the world, learning through parenthood and recognising how easy it can be for people to judge situations they do not fully understand.

Maria now guides families through the journeys that once kept her at home. She knows the difference preparation makes, because she once needed it herself. With the support of Passenger Service Agents, colleagues such as Maria help families to make lasting memories.