Travelling with mental disability
 

Hi I was wondering how people who have a mental disability such as Autism with Mental Retardation. How do we explain what happens to people who have severe Autism with mental retardation who cannot produce language but can understand whats being said.

So my topics I would like answered are:
1. Explaining the security process(TSA agents)
2. Showing how the Inflight Entertainment(PTV) works.What types of music would an autistic teen/adult listen to? Would they watch the airmap? How do we explain to a person who can produce limited language what the PTV is etc.
3. How do we explain to them what seat preference they want? How does one give a simple question for instance window aisle and how to explain to those who understand but don't respond to language?
4. As for meal choices how do we get them to choose a meal that suits them? How should one ask a person with limited speech what meal preference they would like?

Also I was just curious how many people with Autism that are interested in the Air Map(Airshow)? I can imagine lots of people into geography are into Airshow.

Another question I had is why did I see on one flight a person who could not produce language with his father in an emergency exit row? I thought they ask the question who is competent to open the exit? Do you think this adult looked about 20 who had mental retardation/autism that could not produce speak help his father open the exit? If he understands but cannot produce speech would this consitute as being able to help open the exit?
Thanks for your help. I am studying Special Education and have not been able to find personal accounts of people with mental disabilities traveling. Also what capability does the person need to have to travel alone?

Here is something I found on the United website:

Cognitive and developmental disabilities

United will provide assistance to individuals who may need guidance within the airport. However, an escort is not available to remain with the customer. Passengers who require personal or continuous attended care will need to provide their own attendant.


http://www.united.com/page/article/0,1360,1082,00.html

US Airways, which requires a personal assistant for mentally handicapped passengers:

http://www.usairways.com/customers/t...al_assistance/

Continental, which is very vague:

http://www.continental.com/travel/sp...es/default.asp

Why don't we see airlines put more explicit information about traveling with a cognitive disability. We hear more about wheelchairs,blind travellers etc. Also if you could expand more on teaching the cognitive disabled teen/adult how to use the PTV,audio system as well as what to expect at customs/TSA screening etc. How would we teach a person who can understand but cannot produce speech these tasks? Thanks

Specific information on air carrier responsibility for passengers requiring assistance in federally mandated under the Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA.
http://www2.hrnext.com/Article.cfm/N...MKD&effort=536

All carriers were required to submit to the EEOC their specific plan for compliance for approval. All question and complaints concerning compliance are handled by the EEOC. For specific information on individual carriers contact them at their corporate offices and request copies of their programs. They may or may not be required to provide them to you and they may charge you for the cost of these documents and shipping. You are, after all, researching a paper so start digging. We’ve all been there. Good luck.

BTW!! I reread my response and it sounds a little hard. That's just the brass tacks part of assistance travel. I have to run for now but I'll stop in and talk a little more informally. However, keep in mind that once ADA became law all discussions of air carriers and assistance passangers has to be tempered with that as a background.

Hi. Thanks for this new thread. I have a 19 year old son who has autism so I can certainly speak from many years of experience.

I travel myself about 140,000 miles a year so that certainly makes it easier for explaining things to him. He is now completely verbal and has on two occasions this past year, flown alone.
However, I can tell you it is very difficult for these people to travel. Because my son is 19 and doesn't "look" disabled, I am not allowed to escort him past security, nor have his grandparents meet him at the gate on the other side. On one trip he had to actually change planes in CVG. I was a nervous wreck until I heard he had arrived safe and sound at his final destination.
I would LOVE it if airlines had better and more obvious options/accommodation for persons with these types of handicaps.

If the flight goes as planned, he's fine. But if there was ever some type of irregular operation, gate change, significant delay, etc., he'd have a very difficult time seeking help.
To answer the first posters questions - I don't think safety instructions, seat selections, music selection, etc are issues that have to be dealt with on the plane as persons with these types of disabilities are either travelling with someone to assist them or it has been explained in minute detail to them by a caretaker before they board. However, it would be wonderful if a note could be made on their locator that in the event of some type of irregular operation this individual may need extra assistance and a contact phone number. Many autistic people are quite high funtioning and have the capabilities of being somewhat independent, but could use some additional support services.

Edited to add - YES, he does love the airshow map.

[This message has been edited by kathnunley (edited Dec 12, 2003).]

I was sent your thread from a dear friend of mine who knows of my involvement as an advocate for the handicapped traveler. I am also the foster parent and custodial guardian of my developmentally disabled brother. Disclaimer: The following insights are strictly personal.
With your interest in special ed, I would advise you to download, print out and study the Air Carrier Access Act. It’s a relatively clear cut document. It provides the ideal of the service that airlines are supposed to be offering physically and mentally challenged passengers. It is seldom implemented to the letter unless the airlines are forced to, primarily through lawsuits.
Airlines are in the mass transportation business. The Air Carrier Access Act makes demands of the airlines for certain individuals which would cause inconvenience to other revenue passengers and would be cost prohibitive to universally enforce. Often the companies ignore some of the issues, and hope they will never be confronted with their violations in court.
From my reading of the ACAA it appears obvious that the airline must provide an escort from the gate to the baggage area of the airport for a moderately high functioning autistic and/or mentally retarded passenger by virtue of the fact that the airline allowed that person to purchase a ticket. Yet, airlines will encourage families to buy “unaccompanied minor”-like escort services…for a fee…to assure a smooth travel experience for the challenged passenger.
One unfortunate incident concerning connection assistance to handicapped people comes to mind. A local group of adult Special Olympians was flying to the National Competition. Everyone in this group, all friends of my brother, held a job in the community, although I don’t think any one of the group could read or write proficiently. There are some travel agencies specializing in arrangements for handicapped travelers, and these agencies are well aware of the intricacies of the ACAA. By law, this group did not require (and did not have) an escort, as everyone could follow instructions, feed him/herself, use the bathrooms, etc. One member was in a wheelchair. The only assistance the group required was negotiating the one connection each way. The group members wore large cloth name labels pasted on their clothing with a sentence about being covered by the ACAA and aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In addition to the passenger’s name, the flight numbers and airport codes were printed on the eye-catching tag. When we landed in a hub city, as lead flight attendant I told the gate agent to order two electric carts exclusively for the group to get them to their connecting gate. She was happy to oblige. 4 days later I was passing through the same hub airport, only to hear a young woman in a wheelchair sobbing. I looked over and saw “Mary”. Her wheelchair pusher had forgotten her gate…the flight # was printed on her label!...and the man was chit-chatting with a friend, obviously unconcerned about getting Mary to her flight. I snapped the fellow to attention, pointed out her flight number and found the gate. Some of the group stayed behind to help Mary, as it took a long time for the wheelchair to show up, and they were worried she wouldn’t make the flight. When we arrived together at the gate, there was a group of 20 adults with mental retardation in tears. The group wouldn’t board until Mary was there…so the gate agent buttoned up the flight, and it was pushing back as we arrived. I asked the gate people to notify the chaperones who would be picking up the group in their city of arrival, so they wouldn’t be unduly concerned when the group didn’t show up. That didn’t happen. I therefore made some calls myself. There was room on the next flight, a flight I was working on, but the group members were scattered all over the airplane. Some of the other passengers expressed discomfort about having a mentally retarded seat partner..who is mentally handicapped in this situation??.and the “normal” folks behaved like jackasses.

I walked the group to the baggage area when we landed, the guardians and parents were waiting—but I did not feel good about what had transpired.

There were several concerns here:
1. Yes, the law says that an escort is not required…but as a parent or guardian, I would want to know that my loved one has made the connections smoothly and that s/he wasn’t left behind somewhere. I would err on the side of common sense, regardless of the stipulations in the ACAA that an airline representative will follow through on the behalf of the passenger. Either buy the airline gate-to-gate escort service, or send along a chaperone.
2. The gate agents are not trained in all aspects of the ACAA…somewhat deliberately, I believe. There is a legal gray zone when a law has been violated by a responsible party uninformed of its existence.
3. The gate agent closing the door and sending away the scheduled aircraft with that large group of Special Olympians sitting at the gate…there may have been a violation of the ACAA here. Airlines are psycho about on time departures. However the law spells out that a flight MUST be held for a handicapped passenger who is in the airport. The other group members told the gate agents what the hold up was…yet, the gate agent chose to close up the flight rather than risk a disciplinary notice from a manager for allowing a delay.

It is not really possible for any flight attendant to measure the level of understanding of a developmentally disabled passenger. My brother will say “yes” to everything. “Do you understand?” “Yes!” FAs who do not have experience talking to autistic or retarded passengers may not know how to phrase questions to get a telling answer out of them. Also, there are very high functioning Down’s Syndrome people who are well educated and totally capable of helping out in an evacuation. Your concern about emergency exit row placement is a sticky one. It could be that, although the pax was not verbal, that he could indeed understand and follow orders. There is quite a bit of “exit row policy” variation from airline to airline concerning language requirements, whether you have to be able to give orders or simply respond to verbal commands, etc. Also, sometimes passengers move into those exit rows for the nice legroom without asking anyone’s permission. Hard to say.

The questions you have posed are wonderful. Realistically, the onboard staffing nowadays is so limited that the FAs can rarely devote much thoughtful attention to the special needs passengers. Sad reality.


[This message has been edited by rambling (edited Dec 13, 2003).]

[This message has been edited by rambling (edited Dec 13, 2003).]

Hello again. I wanted to add to my previous reply. I have several autistic family members. Some are high functioning, Anspauger’s (sic?) Syndrome and self reliant. Some others however will never live on their own or without assistance due to the level of their disability. For them unaccompanied travel is impossible. Speaking strictly of autistic individuals experience and expectation are some of the most important elements. If you are going to travel with an inexperienced autistic person, young or old, they need to be familiarized with their surroundings so don’t make your first trip a five hour leg to Europe. Try to visit the airport ahead of time. Even in these times of heightened security special arrangements can be made to enter the airport concourse. Start by contacting the airlines reservations number and explaining the situation to the agent and ask them to steer you to the correct department. This may end up being a local airline sales representative or someone within the local airport structure.
As those of you with disabled family members know no one is better equipped to assist your loved one than you. In brutally honest terms it is ridiculous to expect a business to be more capable of assisting them than you. But you have every right to expect the air carrier to be cooperative. First, before traveling make sure the carrier is aware of your needs. Assistance messages can be appended to reservations that notify local airport agents that you are traveling with a person with special needs. Don’t wait until you get to the airport. Call reservations and explain your needs. You can still book online and then call. Second, as I said before you are the person best equipped to help them when they travel. However, when you cannot, the special assistance fee is worth it. I know sometimes it seems that everything you do requires extra cost and effort but I also know you wouldn’t be caring for this loved one yourself if you hadn’t already decided to make certain sacrifices. Third, arrive early give us the additional time to do our best job. This doesn’t let the air carrier off the hook Take advantage of early boarding, introduce yourself to the agent at the gate and at least one flight attendant. Bring with you any personal items that make sitting in one spot comfortable for your family member. Next, be specific about your needs both when you call the carrier and in person. Finally, be patient with the employees. I know that sounds strange but if you meet a jerk, then ask for a supervisor. I know from experience the jerks are outnumbered at least 20 to one. Most people want to help as much as possible but remember, especially with autism, they often don’t know what to do. Have a blessed holiday and great New Year.