Most people he passes greet him with a smile give a wave of recognition.

It's hard to believe just a month ago being in the same airport sent the 28-year-old into a spiral of anxiety.

For about 11 years James, who has Down syndrome, has been terrified of flying.

But when a relative moved to Perth earlier this year, James' mum Mandy and support worker Vanessa Richards decided it was time James confronted his fear.

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For four weeks Vanessa and James regularly visited the airport, which is run by Albury City, to have coffee and get used to the airport, while staff organised for them to meet with various airport and airline workers.

Over the month, James and Vanessa were able to watch planes leave from the control tower as well as practice checking in and going through security.

REX pilot Tony Bugden also took James onto a plane and showed him the cockpit.

Vanessa said airport staff and workers from both REX and Virgin airlines went above and beyond what was required.

On August 30, James flew to Sydney safely and comfortably. Vanessa said a whole new world was open to him now.

"I think we only lasted about half an hour the first time [we visited]," she said.

"Now, he's built connections at the airport, he sees familiar faces and has built trusting relationships. He turns up with a smile.

"You don't just get that at any airport."

Airport operations team leader David Costello said everyone was very impressed that James flew within a month of his first visit.

"He was very brave, we were all very proud of him," he said.

"We have a whole range of people flying and for us it's the small things we can do to make them feel better that matter.

"We just created the opportunity and helped connect him with the airlines to create that familiarity to the airport, but at the end of the day James is the one who took it on, with great help form Vanessa."