First flying with Autism

Given the current problems that we are hearing about all forms of travel, including (especially?) air travel, it is generally recommended and considered best that people with our condition do not travel without a chaperone, regardless of whatever “assisted travel” services are provided by travel companies - besides, given that the best travel deals are reserved for 2 people sharing and not for solo travellers, which has always been the case within the travel industry, having someone travel with you eases the stress involved with travel as there will always be all sorts of last minute problems that no amount of careful planning can ever totally eradicate those risks - much of what I say here is based on 20 years of travelling alone long before my diagnosis, so I would never attempt to travel alone again on any form of transport over 20 miles, given the harsh lessons I learnt the hard way in October 2022 when returning to Manchester from Ireland on SailRail during the train strike in which I’d been stranded in Holyhead for 2 days after arrival from Dublin - later on I heard of the same thing happening to senior management team at our hotel returning from a training course in Dublin on a group booking with Ryanair, where despite a 7pm check-in, their flight did not actually leave Dublin until Midnight - we have to be totally risk adverse in our situation and eliminate all risk as far as possible 

Living in Manchester 20 years, travel to Ireland via Dublin has always been stressful as my family live 20 miles from Dublin in Rural Ireland and being totally dependent on public transport, Irish transport providers are not as Autism friendly as they should be at age 52

My bugbear when I used to travel SailRail was tech items like cables, chargers etc - now with my new phone, I find that I don’t need any of this for 5 days back home with family in Ireland from the U.K. and even less with air travel - but after my most recent horrific SailRail trip home since my diagnosis, after being stranded in Holyhead for 2 days trying to get back to where I live in Manchester for 20 years, I finally “copped on to myself” and realised that I cannot travel without a chaperone and then only by air travel due to my condition, the ongoing management of which requires ultra strict Millitary style discipline and everyone around me constantly telling me to “cop myself on” “for my own good” as part of management of my condition 

With those of us that are recently diagnosed with ASD, we have to learn everything all over again, even if this seems over simplified to some - and this can be very difficult for those of us who have travelled before our diagnosis  - in my case, the way I’ve coped with it is to have ultra strict discipline for my own good 

Frankly, in one way, people in our situation and with our disability deserve the equivalent of first class travel, given all the other limitations that our disability imposes on us and all of the other stuff that our disability forces us to put up with 

Ever since 9/11, flying from Manchester or Liverpool to Dublin with airport security and all the hassles involved has become a nightmare even before my diagnosis in 2021, having lived alone in Manchester since 2002 and with family in Rural Ireland near Dublin - at Dublin, it is a major traffic hassle which is why since 2011, I’d stopped flying and used both “coach and sail” and SailRail” via Holyhead which is no longer reliable nor a sustainable alternative to air travel in these days of carbon footprint and climate change - being effectively forced to use air travel, I no longer feel confident travelling alone without a chaperone at age 52 and navigating airports is a major hassle - I’d sooner use first class and/or private jets/light aircraft across the Irish Sea if this was affordable or available - I’d been stranded in Holyhead for 2 days due to the rail strike and this horrific experience has made me “cop myself on” and wake up to the fact that I must not attempt to travel without a chaperone 

Living in Manchester 20 years, recently diagnosed with ASD at age 52, family in Ireland near Dublin, I’d stopped flying after 2010 but found SailRail via Holyhead unreliable as an alternative to air travel in these days of carbon footprint and climate change (where I should have been made to fly) - after being stranded in Holyhead for 2 days during the train strike in Oct 2022, given that Millitary style and relentlessly ultra strict discipline is an important part of managing my condition, I now realise that travelling solo is no longer an option without a chaperone, nor is living alone and that flying is the only real option for travelling between the U.K. and back home to Ireland despite all the hassles involved

I always get very anxious when I travel (I end up feeling really nauseous most of the time and can't eat for the entire day until I get to my destination) even when I've planned really well and am familiar with the place I'm going to. I don't mind flying, though I'm not a fan of take off and landing, but I think for me it's the uncertainty aspect of it, that no matter how well I've got everything planned out and know what I'm doing, there's still a chance everything won't go to plan and something will go wrong (even though rationally I know nothing that bad can happen).

I've just kind of accepted that travelling is going to be stressful for me tbh and just have to factor that in to my travel plans, so I make sure I have sufficient recovery time for example (I ruled out a trip earlier this year because it was so far away, and only 4 days long and I knew by the time I'd 'come down' from my anxiety it'd start ramping up again for travelling home!). I was quite proud of myself last year because I managed to take a four day trip alone to somewhere I hadn't been before (I do travel alone frequently, but usually I'm either returning home or someone is picking me up at the airport and I'm spending time with family, so it was really my first entirely solo trip abroad) but I knew it was going to be stressful, so I made sure to keep everything quite manageable and not try and do too much.

I find it very helpful to get to the airport very early and go straight through security to departures as that's the most stressful part for me, worrying that I'm going to be late and have to rush through everything. I always feel rather better once that's over with even if I don't entirely relax until I arrive at my end point. Other than that, I just try and think reassuring thoughts (not that my anxiety is rational) that Everything Is Fine, and to have an airport plan that is chilled out (get a coffee, try and eat and if not get some snacks and a drink for the plane, find a quiet corner to sit and read a book). 

With the ear popping thing, as the cabin pressurises this puts pressure on your inner ear which has set to the ground level normal pressure. You ear normally normalises pressure each day when you yawn. Therefore you can normally avert a pop and uncomfortable pressure by yawning. The action opens up your inner ear to the surrounding pressure and takes away the pressure difference. I'm no doctor so I might not be explaining it well, but it works for me. I think this is the same function as chewing gum.

Turbulence is quite normal. It is just warm air rising. When you boil the kettle, steam rises. When the sun shines on the planet warm air rises in the same way. This rising air is lumpy so rises in patches. The plane flies through rising bits and this causes a bit of up and down here and there. Nothing to worry about. Just explain to yourself what is going on and rationalise it and the fear goes away.

Also don't worry about strange noises. There will be noises when the planes wheels go up after taking off and again when they come down before landing. You will also hear noises when the wings retract after take off and extend before landing. This is just so that when taking off and landing the wings are made bigger so the plane can generate more lift at slower speeds. All normal.

Pehaps you can watch some videos of what to expect when the plane takes off and lands etc.? There must be something on Youtube. Be prepared that it gets very loud very suddenly when the plane is preparing for takeoff and when touching down on the runway when you land. It's also completely normal for there to be a bit of shaking and occasionally you can get turbulences where the plane shakes a bit more than usual. But normally once you're up in the air it's not much different from being on a train or a bus, except with a better view :) However the light fom outside can be blindingly bright, just in case you're light sensitive. Perhaps pack some chewing gum because it can help with the change in pressure during takeoff/landing which can be unpleasant. This all sounds quite negative, sorry, it's really not that bad. Just trying to think of things that I would find helpful to know in advance so they're not unexpected.

I'm fine with the "flying" part, because I don't need to do much except sit on the plane. But what makes me nervous is all the complicated planning required as well as travelling in an unfamiliar place after I landed. But based on your post, it seems that you are very well prepared. You've got the special assistance booked, thought about toiletries, done airport fumigation visit, done destination research, done early packing, sorted out music and lavender oil. It seems like you're very well prepared. I hope that after all this planning you'll feel more reassured and can enjoy your travel!

I get nervous flying, but still love it at the same time. I must have had hundreds of flights now and still get nervous, but again, I also love it. Try to focus on how amazing it is. Look out of the window above the clouds, a view that people have only been able to appreciate for the past century or so, and how planes are a fantastic piece of engineering. And don't worry about safety. They are safer than any other form of transport. For me the feeling of flying through the sky makes the nerves worth it. Try to see it as a fantastic experience. I know that will be hard, but try to keep that in the back of your mind.

Yes - pick up anything special at the terminal shops - the plane caters for generic passengers so don't expect anything special.  

It's a quick flight - by the time you're off the ground, the attendants will be flogging you food and drinks then there's only time to stuff your face before they're clearing it all away ready for landing. 

Oh lovely with me I need some special toiletteres so I'm stuck with hold luggage but I'm defo thinking of raiding the terminal shops before boarding the plane to avoid the costs  on board, it been great sharing info with you

I think your choices will be a bit limited - it's normally tea, coffee, juice, fizzy drinks or alcohol - or a combination of those. 

When we fly, we don't take any toiletries or liquids to make the whole security process easier - just buy what you need at the destination.     We also only take hand luggage - it means no waiting at the carousel - we're already out at the hire cars before anyone else.

Anything herble will be my options 

If you have the assistance booked, there's nothing you need to do except get to the airport - you will be helped through every stage by people used to dealing with autistic toddlers - you will be a breeze for them - they will deal with all of your worries and stress for you - it's easy for me to say, but you won't have any problems on the day.   Your hardest decision will be choosing your drinks. 

Yes I do everything on because I'm lonely, I flying with Easyjet on there 4th ever flight to Jersey from Manchester. with my autism I tend to find my brain is replaced by a control room with a manned operator watching everything and it only one manned so when there a lot of new things planned and there no hard copys already in the system the control starts to panick pressing all the wrong buttoms

Then it's probably just the typical nerves for doing something new.    Will you be on your own?     

I did Jersey years ago - I drove over 400 miles on a 10x5 mile island! 

I have got special assitence booked and I'm going to cut out the smelly, bright and abinouxous duty free. I also have got the lanyard, which I'm going to use outside the airport when I'm in Jersey. when I went on the tour of my local airport I found I was quite settled and more intrested in the aircraft outside so It not the airside of the airport which is a problem it is probably something and nothing