Airline cannot accommodate disabled toddler

[ChangingTheNarative]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone had any advice, I don't know if anyone will but it's always worth asking.

My son was diagnosed with a genetic disorder back in March (developmental delay, mild intellectual disability, autism and adhd) and he's currently on the ASD pathway.

We booked the long haul holiday in June and at that time we didn't know anything about his condition really or how it will affect him.

It's clear now he'll need a harness on the plane which the airline can provide but they have to be put on the backseats however they are booked so we can't have them which is fair enough.

We cannot take a forward facing car seat on and he won't fit in a rear facing one as he's the size of a 4 year old so they suggested a specialist restraint which is £3k (we can't pay this) and that's the only way around it.

I'm at a loss and don't really know what to do or what I can suggest to them.

I wanted to try and treat my son as normal as possible and take him on holiday but I'm thinking my only option may be to cancel?

I thought I'd ask here before I cancelled it though in case anyone has any ideas?

Im not sure what exactly but worth asking

Thank you so much.

When you booked, you obviously knew your child and what he could or could not handle. You booked the holiday so obviously had no worries about him on the plane. A diagnosis doesn’t change that. If you thought he’d be fine on the plane then why do you now think he will need a harness? What would you have done if he hadn’t been given a diagnosis, would you have realised he couldn’t manage the plane without outside input or would you have gone ahead with the holiday?

I haven’t got any suggestions other than ask the airline if they could make an exception and ask the people in the booked seats if they could change (in advance). I would swap in a heartbeat for something like this though I appreciate those who booked may need the seats for a particular reason. If this wasn’t possible, would the airline swap to different flight at no extra cost where these seats were available?

I hope you get it sorted and have a lovely holiday.

Can’t you rebook for when the harnesses are available?

Can you rebook for when the seats are available. Surely you checked this prior to booking.

Have you considered buying an extended rear facing car seat? I have a britax maxway plus which will last my baby until she is around 6 years old/25kg. I purchased it from ‘simply safe carseats’ who run the ‘car seat safety UK’ Facebook page.

Sorry am I missing why a forward facing car seat isn’t possible? Usually it’s the other way round and it’s rear facing ones that airlines sometimes don’t allow.

I'm new to having a child with additional needs. I didn't know about all the assistance and things they offer or else I would have asked at the time of booking. Sometimes he can cope and other times he can't so it's difficult to judge.

The harnesses are available, it's just the seats that aren't which is fair enough - I could see if they can offer another flight and pay extra if needs be.

They told me I can't have a forward facing one. I can double check with them because a car seat would solve the problem really

In the OP she says the following:

It's clear now he'll need a harness on the plane which the airline can provide but they have to be put on the backseats however they are booked so we can't have them which is fair enough.

So the diagnosis part of it has nothing to do with it, the OP is saying that as time has gone on since the diagnosis it is clear that the child will need a restraint. In other words since booking his condition means he has deteriorated and will now need a harness.

Would a CARE harness work? I think they cost £100

Is a Firefly seat an option? https://www.fireflyfriends.com/uk/goto-seat

I would go back to the airline and ask to change flights to ones where the seats for the harness are available. Seems a reasonable adjustment for them to make.

I did ask about them but they said they still have to go on the backseat.

I know this is my fault and I should have done it at booking but he didn't seem like he'd need any extra assistance at the time and I didn't even know about it really. I'm well and truly kicking myself.

That doesn’t seem right at all. I think I’ve heard that Virgin don’t allow RF seats but I’ve never heard of FF not allowed as that’s the default for aircraft installation. Obviously it has to fit though and ideally be certified for aircraft use and to my knowledge there are no British seats currently on sale which are CAA approved. We have an FAA approved American seat which is forward facing only. Used it on loads of airlines with no issue.

@ChangingTheNarative would this work?

www.crelling.com/product/model-27-press-release/

Booking accessible anything can be really complicated

OP- Sorry to see some of the harsh responses you have received.

Do you have any flexibility on your travel dates?

The airline needs to offer your child reasonable support- the CAA has more information on the support that airlines need to provide https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers/prm/passengers-with-disabilities-and-reduced-mobility/

Dont know why you are having snippy comments I am sorry!
Hope you can come up with a suggestion

I'd question the cares harness needing a back seat - and if it's long haul has every seat that backs onto a bulkhead been claimed? If the issue is acces to screen or tray for person behind can another adult in your group sit there?

I'd also double check the forward facing carseat info - although as already mentioned they are difficult to find in the UK suitable for air travel.

Which airline is it OP?

I have a child with additional needs. I also worked for an airline (also have a degree in airline operations & management) and I can tell you that one thing that won’t happen is them making an exception of safety requirements - absolutely not. They would lose their Permit to Fly. You'll need to change your flights to another one with availability in the area you need it in. There's a very valid safety reason as to why they're only in the back of the aircraft.

I get making reasonable adjustments etc but safety 1000000% comes before equality. Which is why you don't see Cabin Crew/Pilots who are wheelchair users for example. (Obviously that's just one example of many)

Give the accessibility team a call and let them help you find a solution.

I wasn't suggesting otherwise..

I wouldn't put my son in an unsafe situation anyway.

I will speak to the airline again and ask what options we have. Thank you.

Just a thought but do you know anyone going to the US before you go? So many seats are airline approved there and typically have a bigger weight/height limit so it could be a worthwhile investment.

No. He doesn't need to be restrained. That would be incredibly distressing and traumatic for him. Find another way to stop him running down the aisles.

He can't walk so running down the aisle wont be a problem.

He likes to feel secure and a harness allows that for him plus ensures that he is safe.