Air Travel 2

Hi all

I thought I would start a second thread to report on my most recent journey by air since my diagnosis. This time it was from Birmingham to Brussels and back, with Air Brussels. Unlike last time, I got great communication from the airline from the start and had terrific help in the airports. I have to fight myself all the time, because I feel like I am wasting people's time. But I know that I've done the right thing in accepting the assistance when I arrive at my destination feeling reasonably calm instead of having to spend a day or two recovering from the horrors of the experience. The last time I went to Brussels I had a kind of meltdown and ended up in a terrible state.

Anyway, for those not familiar with it, I am using the Sunflower Lanyard scheme. It's available at most UK airports. Birmingham is no exception: the information is all HERE. For Brussels airlines I had to fill in a special assistance form and send it to them (I guess it's the same for all the airlines) and I wrote AUTISM in the disability listing (as well as hearing loss, in my case). 

I am fine once I am seated on the plane, so I got assistance through security and duty free (in fact, we took a back entrance and avoided duty free altogether) and was escorted to the front of the queue for boarding. In security I was given time and space, and also reassurance when it emerged that I'd got a stray tube of toothpaste in my suitcase. I was sure I had removed all my toothpaste, but somehow there was a tube lurking in my wash bag. I was quite perturbed by that, but they were very good about making light of it. When I arrived at Brussels airport I was met off the plane and driven in a van to the arrivals lounge, rather than having to get the bus with the other passengers. That was just great. 

The return journey was also great and a nice woman named Gori looked after me and was very understanding. The best moment though was when I couldn't find my way on arrival and a member of staff, obviously spotting my lanyard, came and offered guidance. That really helped a lot and made me feel reassured. I've filled in their questionnaire to reflect all this good stuff, and sent them an email to thank them too. 

Hugers