How do I get this sort of assistance when travelling?

[coldfeetwarming]

Ds is autistic and we’re flying in the summer. We’ve never travelled with his needs and diagnosis being so apparent.

Ds will have his sunflower lanyard on but I’ve no idea what they achieves these days as everyone sees it as mask exempt.

He will really struggle to queue for a really long time but a fairly short, moving queue is fine. Security will really make him anxious. And he really wants to get on the plane first so people don’t look at him - he might freeze on the steps otherwise.

What do I do?

I’m going to get fast track security if I can.

Do I ask someone? Phone someone first? He won’t want an ‘escort’ through the airport or anything - just those few things. Help!

I'd say call the airline, have a word with the check in staff and also the staff at the point of boarding. There's generally a while waiting at the gate, which give you a chance to talk to them.

It is a mixed bag though depending on the airline.

You ask for special assistance, prob last on plane, no queues, lounge, done it at Gatwick last year

You need to book Special Assistance with your airline. Who are you flying with and which airport? Some have quiet rooms you can use.

It's usually first on, last off

Which airline are you flying with? Some invite families with small children (eg under 10/12) to board first so you could just follow their announcement. Or book priority boarding with one of the low cost carriers, and just speak with someone at the gate and explain you’d love to board first. That might involve at least one other person on your booking joining the queue fairly early though.

It's Ryanair from Bristol and he's 11.

I can see you can book special assistance with the airport and with Ryanair....I guess I'll just trying ringing both and see what they suggest?

'Last on the plane' will guarantee he won't get on the plane 🤣

Check the airport website as some do familiarisation sessions for people just like your son to take them through in advance what will happen on the day they fly.

Ryanair usually put families with small children and people using Special Assistance first with their Priority customers.
Please make use of special assistance and I’d also recommend using the wheelchair even if your DC can walk. It’s amazing how you become visible in a chair but can be forgotten about without one

Did you see the Hidden Disabilities page for Bristol airport? You can contact their team to get the booklet showing the airport process, book the quiet sensory room and will be the ones to ask about fast track security etc - I know at Birmingham you check in with them when you arrive (if you have notified them in advance, alas people are trying to abuse it with the queues) and then they can provide assistance through the airport. I think Ryanair would be the ones for pre boarding so he can get on first though.

Pay for fast track everything. In my experience the airport is fairly useless with autism sadly. Can you get one of you to queue to check bags and the other one go through with him?

Get to the gate early and as soon as people arrive at the desk, show them his diagnosis letter (I always take a copy on holiday). Beg them to let him on first. Hopefully they will let him but it's up to their discretion. For some reason people get really pissy about being first on the plane.

Good luck.

Also I always pay for valet parking so the transfer between car and plane is as short and predictable as possible

You need to contact the airline and ask for the DPNA code to be added to his booking. (Universally agreed airline code for intellectual disabilities)

Then take a copy of your DLA letter, when you arrive at the airport look for the special assistance desk/lounge and present yourself there, explain he can't cope with crowds/queues and they will help fast track you past it all to the gate.

Not much help to you op but Edinburgh airport is fab. You book special assistance with them, they meet you at the door, take you straight through baggage drop, and avoid all the queues at security. Just before boarding they meet you at the gate and get you either first or last on (depending on need). They also fast track you through customs on the way home too. Excellent service, I’d suggest a look on Bristol airports website to see what they offer.

Just wanted to put this here incase it helps in the future - Tui are fantastic for assistance with special needs. If you need transfers from the airport to the hotel and you have high rate dla (care or mobility) and / or a blue badge they will arrange free private transfers - a “welfare taxi”. You just need to organise it will the rep before you go. (We have this booked for our upcoming trip to Ibiza, it means we don’t have to sit on a busy coach with other people which Ds would hate).

They also give you extra luggage allowance- for medicines, extra clothing, etc - you can specify as much as you need, we’ve been given an extra 35kg - Ds needs extra clothing / incontinence stuff and I myself have disabilities and will need a medical case of stuff.

They also ask whether you want to be first on / last off or the other way round etc when boarding or leaving the plane and they will sort this out for you and fast track you past queues.

Had nothing but good experiences with them across all my friends who have children with sen and have used them.

You don't need to pay for fast track at all. You will be fast tracked - go through the special assistance/disabilities line which is literally alined to the fast track queue. It's a smaller queue for those with needs. Also do the same on the way back. Hope the flight is ok!

Does that code cover autism though? He hasn't got any learning disabilities, quite the opposite actually! (Not being arsey, just don't want anyone accusing us of milking the system!)

I will def take his diagnosis letter and DLA letter, I usually take it everywhere we go anyway.

Thank you. I will contact the airport / Ryanair and see what they can sort out. I was looking at pictures of Bristol airport and saw the picture for special assistance security Lane with a disabled badge so I did wonder if should hold off on fast track payment!

I've used special assistance twice as I couldn't stand for long periods of time after surgery abroad. There was an option to request it when booking flights, it was the airport that provided the assistance I've had it twice now. You q for baggage drop like normal once you have dropped the bags you are directed to the special assistance area you are then wheeled through security no q and dropped at the gate. When I couldn't make the plane steps they put me in a bus that goes up in the air and you board through the opposite door of the plane. You then wait at destination airport and they wheel you through and you skip the security que again. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Ryanair don’t give families with small children priority at all. Not since they introduced priority boarding that people pay for. Some EU countries (eg Italy) sometimes might let them board first, but this is unusual.

Special Assistance is your best hope via the airport. Fast Track will help with airport security, but will not apply for Ryanair boarding.

Oriunda I flew with them earlier this year and they did on my flights.

With Ryanair you should be able to log in to your booking online snd add Special Assistance. It then gives you options as to what assistance is needed. We have used it (including often from/to Bristol) for my mum who can get overwhelmed and confused (also has poor mobility) . We’ve had very good experiences. Typically she has been supported to get to the gate very early so worth thinking about having something to do/eat once you get there. We tend to arrive early as sometimes if lots of people have booked it you can wait a wee while til someone is free to escort you through, and allows me to reiterate what she needs support with again.

have a great holiday

We always phone the airline and ask to be put with our son at no extra charge. He has his lanyard in his pocket which he shows and we go through Fast Track/ Priority bag drop and Fast Track Security. We have always done this at Heathrow and Gatwick and they have been very understanding. Also go through Special Assistance queue at passport control on the way home and go through in minutes rather than queuing for hours which definitely helps with DS's anxiety.

Special assistance

the airline may pass you to the airport, check with both.

Request special assistance. At Bristol airport there's a quieter area for people to sit rather than within the noisy scrum. Useful if he's bothered by noise.