Hi,
Thank you for taking the time to read this post, any help would be very appreciated. I have recently returned from an absolutely dreadful holiday with my nine year old autistic son. I won't go into details but before my wife and I book with a travel provider we told them of our son's condition and they stated they would be able to help in every way possible. Phew! After a few issues in the past this was a huge relief, someone who understood our additional needs as a family alas this was not to be. Instead they did nothing bar take our money and leave the rest to us, we had to organise everything from additional help at the airport, early flight boarding, pre-flight airport visits etc. They did nothing and showed no indication they had any understanding of the ASD at all. Upon arrival at the destination things got worse, the rep arrived on the second day (although arranging to come on the evening of the first day which we prepared my son for!) and just randomly walked into the pool area, didn't knock the door nope just walked in didn't introduce herself and went into the villa! We politely asked her to tell everyone to call us before randomly turning up and to always use the front door. Of course this didn't happen and a host of people just turned up randomly without knocking and went about their tasks much to my son's distress! I tried to explain to them and even printed out cards with an explanation of our son's condition on it in their language but they just ignored our requests to give us warning!! We all had a dreadful time our son was constant high alert, needing constant reasurence that "no-one is coming today!", alas reassur nice we couldn't give! Which upset us the most. We were happy to leave and get home and will not travel aboard again for a long time, this lack of understanding or to be frank giving a damn has ruined my son's experience and made his world even smaller now! When I confronted the travel agent they simply ignored me, can I do anything to stop this happening to other family's on our position?
Thank you again for your time, sorry if Inwas ranting but this has upset us all but mostly my amazing little boy and that pains me the most as I couldn't protect him and that's my job!!! Any thoughts?
