In fact, the aircraft she was about to board with her husband and three children was not scheduled to fly anywhere. Even the ticket in their hands said their destination was, well, exactly where they were already.
But Tuesday still felt like the start of a journey. At the airport's first "Autism Flies" event, hosted by Breeze Airways and Connecticut-based Autism Double-checked, families with neurodiverse children and young adults were able to gain insights into air travel -- but without the stress and trauma of embarking on an actual flight.
Almeida, of West Warwick, is the mother of Carter, 5, and 3-year-old twins Nathan and Natalia, all of whom have Fragile X syndrome, a genetic condition that Almeida said is similar to autism.
The disorder can affect behavior, and Almeida said it can be a struggle to keep her kids contained, as they're prone to wandering off on their own, as is also common for children with autism.
So while they dream of going to Disney someday, traveling -- especially on an airplane -- presents a host of factors to consider. The prospect, Almeida admits, has left her feeling "petrified."
"I want to see what we're going to be up against and how they're going to behave once the cabins close . . . and they've got to sit still," Almeida said, as the trio rocked and jumped around in a wagon in the airport terminal alongside their father, John. "As you can tell, just here, they won't stop. So I can't imagine what it's going to be like in there."
The "Autism Flies" event provided a practice run for the entire air travel experience, from check-in and security screenings to boarding and a simulated 15-minute "flight" onboard an aircraft.
"Airports are unfamiliar," said Alan Day, CEO and cofounder of Autism Double-Checked. "Unfamiliar is difficult for people with autism, and greater familiarity -- practicing -- can be a godsend."
It's something Day knows intimately: His 21-year-old son, Henry, is autistic, and years of that kind of practice have made him "a trouper" when it comes to air travel, Day said.
Autism Double-Checked was founded in 2015 by Day and David Tait, both longtime travel professionals. In addition to "Autism Flies" events, the organization offers programs to train airline, hotel, and other travel industry workers how to be more inclusive of travelers with autism as they navigate everyday interactions and situations.
Breeze, which has expanded rapidly at T.F. Green since it launched in 2021, became the first domestic commercial airline to receive certification from Autism Double-Checked in May.
Breeze's fight attendants have been trained on how to identify passengers who are on the autism spectrum, how to approach and speak with them, and potential triggers they may have, said Angela Vargo, Breeze's vice president of marketing and communications. Now, the low-cost airline is extending the training to its pilots and gate agents, Vargo said.
"Being able to identify that and to be able to work with families who, you know, need that additional assistance in the moment is really what the value of this program is," Vargo said.
Some parents said that kind of certification could be a deciding factor for them when choosing an airline.
"Some people can be quite ignorant and dismiss the behavior. If they see kids acting up like this, they're just going to think that they're being bad, it's a tantrum," Almeida said. "But it's sensory overload, and a lot of people don't get that."
Jessica Veronneau, of Fairhaven, Mass., said she has left public places with her children, Vivianna, 4, and Bowen, 2, because staff were not trained to help them.
"I don't bring my kids out because I'm afraid, and it's nice to see a lot of places just expanding their horizon to kids who don't think like every other kid," she said. "So we're excited about this."
Several families marveled at having a dry run, and being able to try it out while surrounded by others who know quite well the challenges parents of neurodiverse children face. Dina Avila, of Warwick, brought her 7-year-old son, Lucas, who is autistic, to prepare for a planned trip to see family in Texas in November, she said.
"It's going to give me a little bit of peace of mind, because I'll have an understanding of how he's going to react," Avila said.
While takeoff never actually happened, the crew dutifully followed the familiar rituals. Flight attendants completed their safety demonstrations. A snack cart brought the would-be travelers chips and water.
Day said the event is designed to be as close as possible to the real thing, but he also acknowledged that not every aspect of a real flight can be simulated. Sensory elements such as changes in air pressure and the loud roar and hum of a jet engine were not part of the experience.
Row by row, families each had a different kind of journey on the stationary flight.
The Veronneaus sat still, as 4-year-old Vivianna took in views from the window seat and her little brother, Bowen, watched a video on a cellphone.
In the row ahead of them, Marcella and John Almeida's three children were constantly moving, and they quickly figured out how to unbuckle their seat belts.
After a while, Marcella Almeida decided that a trip to Disney World might not be possible in the near future. But after this experience, she said, she was hopeful.
"If they can put stuff like this together, then maybe it'll open up their eyes to see how hard it is for some families to travel and [have] their kids experience the same things any other family and kids would," Almeida said.
Walking back through the terminal that evening, Kristen Huntington smiled.
Her 16-year-old daughter, Keira, who has autism, used to travel frequently, but when the pandemic hit, that all changed -- and so did Keira, she said.
"Nothing was the same for her anymore," said Huntington, of Southbury, Conn.
When they tried to fly again in 2022, Keira "stood up in the middle of the plane, screaming at the top of her lungs" and the plane could not take off, Huntington said.
Tuesday was different. Huntington said it was a "miracle" her daughter stepped onto the plane, then shocked her mother by not wanting to get off.
Suddenly, Huntington said, there was potential to travel to North Carolina again to visit Keira's grandmother, whom they haven't seen in four years.