Long haul flight - with High Functioning Autism

[Blossom4538]

Hi all,

So a holiday option for next year involves a 6-7 hour flight, so not super long haul but more than we usually fly.

Have any of your little ones with High Functioning Autism travelled long haul? DH is really concerned. I guess at the minute we have a lot of stress around other people coughing or sneezing as DD cannot tolerate it and v v frequent toilet trips. However, we can manage it, albeit quite hard work and tiring.

DH seems v anxious over flying with her now sadly. He also feels it may be a little “wrong” to confine her to a 7 hour flight.

Two-four hours, we entertain, she sleeps and is not a problem really. Airport can be lively! DH often looks anxious and can feel claustrophobic! 🙈😬

I’m not sure what to do really.

We took my son who was 6 on a slightly longer flight in the summer - preparation was the key, talking about it in advance.
Headphones key - explaining in advance to airline staff and we embraced screentime & known books/resources. Worst part was food so pack known things will eat and don't worry if it is unhealthy just to get you through.

Airplane was overall fine - window seat for my son. Customs and airport in new country harder work as hunger kicked in etc - but overall better than we thought -

Choice of clothes in advance, know rucksack with stuff he had packed etc

We predicted the worst & it was ok. We have worse days at home, but still learning triggers for the anxiety that he displays alongside HFA.

DS loves long flights as he sees it as unrestricted iPad and Nintendo switch time. No one telling him his hour of screen time is over.
A 12 hour flight is his idea of bliss.

Our DS was fine too. The aircraft noise was a concern but with ear defenders and headphones it was OK. In a way long haul was easier as they had the in-flight entertainment, blanket and pillow. He loved being able to choose whatever films, TV and music he wanted, and the meals and complimentary drinks break it all up. He also likes sodoku etc so he's quite easy.

The trickiest bit was we were stuck in a queue for an hour coming home. We pulled out his iPod and set him walking to and fro, out of the queue, counting his steps. That worked really well and got the wriggles out of him before the flight too.

I did have to fight to be sat with him, despite their policy of seating children with families. Not anyone's fault really, the plane was different to the one that had been scheduled so our seats just didn't exist. So I would always be early to check in, even if you've booked seats.