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Air travel

Hugers

Hi all

(My first post, so I'm a bit nervous!)

I am 60 years old and only diagnosed with Asperger's a few months ago. I'm still coming to terms with the diagnosis, but I thought it might be interesting to share my experience with preparations for air travel over the past 24 hours. 

I fly quite frequently as part of my job. Next week I am due to fly to Germany and back with Eurowings. 

Like many others here, I imagine, I find airports extremely difficult. As well as Asperger's, I have Ménière's and sometimes the stress aspects of the autism can trigger a vertigo attack. Plus, thanks to the Ménière's, I have severe hearing loss and tinnitus.

Yesterday I found out about the Sunflower lanyard scheme to support hidden disabilities, which seems great. I contacted someone involved with that scheme and will be getting support at Stansted https://www.stanstedairport.com/help/special-assistance/hidden-disabilities/ It will be very interesting to see how well that works!

They also advised me to contact the airline (Eurowings, on this occasion), and it is this part that I wanted to share...

I filled in the Eurowings online support form and got a message saying it would take 6-8 weeks for them to reply! So I phoned their helpline instead to ask for assistance. Once I said what I wanted, the gentleman on the other end spent some time consulting with his manager before talking further to me.

He first asked me to produce a certificate to prove I have autism. I said I do have a psychologist's case report, but I was not very willing to share it.

He then offered to provide a wheelchair, which I told him I do not need.

He then asked me to explain in detail what are my problems. I did the best I could - it's not easy! He seemed quite baffled.

He then said he could not provide someone to accompany me on the flight. I explained (I hope politely) that I do not want a person to accompany me - what I want is a fast transit, understanding staff, and access to a quiet place where I can be undisturbed.

He finally said he could not help me at all, and that was the end of the conversation.

To be fair, Eurowings is an airline, not an airport, so it's possible that they have less interest until you actually get on the plane. But even so, I was quite shocked by the lack of understanding of hidden conditions. Apparently UK airlines perform better on this. Anyway, I have sent an email (again, polite) explaining my experience and suggesting ways they might improve. I don't expect much response, but every little helps!

Parents

  • Plastic said "On the day, get packed". On the day?  I'm often mostly packed at least a week in advance, apart from medications Slight smile

    I have a similar routine to Plastic, apart from some minor changes:

    For many years we've used Air Miles to buy many of our flights and have tended to upgrade to Business Class, which takes care of priority check-in, fast-track security, business lounges, early boarding. Curiously we were doing this even before I thought I/we might be Autistic - as we really didn't like the stress.  A couple of times we've used normal class on the way back, but then do book the upgrades.

    At Heathrow we like 'Pod' parking - a car park connected to the terminal by little 4-person vehicles that run along a track to T4.  But more recently we've discovered 'Valet parking" - you drive in to the 1st floor of the short term car park, into a special area by the lifts and hand over your car keys.  Your car is moved to another car park, although my car tracking told me it was higher up in the same car park, then delivered back to the collection zone ready for when you return. No extra bus needed.

    My daughter's partner has used the 'hidden disability' special assistance at Luton with Easyjet and found it very good - she could use which bits she needed, so fast security, quiet area and pre-boarding.

  • in reply to capers123
    capers123 said:
    I'm often mostly packed at least a week in advance, apart from medications

    When we do Florida, we go in winter so we're already wearing any jackets & jumpers. In the hand luggage is 8x t-shirts, socks & pants + 1 extra pair or jogging bottoms. Add all the meds and that's it.

    It all easily fits in a small backpack/bag. Total weight is a couple of kg.

    Total packing time = 10 mins.

    No bags in the hold = much quicker through the airport.

    Buy all the toiletries at the other end - and if I need an extra t-shirt, then I can stretch to the $2 in the cheap shops.

    We cannot understand why people take masses of stuff on holiday - most doesn't get used so they are just making their lives more difficult.

  • in reply to Plastic
    Plastic said:
    We cannot understand why people take masses of stuff on holiday - most doesn't get used so they are just making their lives more difficult.

    Often if I'm travelling I also have morris dancing kit, so that will be at least 3 sets of white shirt & white trousers, all nicely ironed, as well as white trainers. Not to mention the musical instruments as hand luggage.  When we went to a festival in New England, we needed warm & cool weather clothes in addition to the costumes.

    Our next holiday, the first 'proper' one in at least 15 years (without children :) ) is to Sri Lanka, so we will mostly need shorts & t-shirts. But for temples we will need long trousers & shirts, and cool weather kit for up in the highlands where the temperature can get down to 4 or 5 at night.  Plus sandels, beach shoes and normal shoes.  We're not 'dressy' people, so neither of us will be taking 2 or 3 changes of clothes for each day (breakfast-wear, pool-wear, evening meal stuff, high heel shoes...). But we will probably take 2 suitcases with clothes split between them, partly in case of suitcase loss but also so they're not too heavy to lug to and from the car from our front door.  At least we don't have to pack for the children now.

    I like the idea and concept of travelling light, but somehow can't make it work. The best I can do is if I'm playing at a one-night festival and staying in a hotel - where I only need one set of costume, the trousers & shirt I'm wearing plus a spare shirt & pants.

  • in reply to capers123

    That sounds hard work. We did our first holiday without our daughter earlier in the year - it was great, No responsibility, stay out latte at night, eat in 'grown up places - excellent.

    We're doing it again in February - already booked our character dining experiences in The Animal Kingdom and in The Contemporary Resort.

    Dressing for dinner = clean t-shirt.

    I might go diving with sharks again in The Seas in Epcot.

Reply
  • in reply to capers123

    That sounds hard work. We did our first holiday without our daughter earlier in the year - it was great, No responsibility, stay out latte at night, eat in 'grown up places - excellent.

    We're doing it again in February - already booked our character dining experiences in The Animal Kingdom and in The Contemporary Resort.

    Dressing for dinner = clean t-shirt.

    I might go diving with sharks again in The Seas in Epcot.

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