Flying While Autistic

[Formaldehyde]

Family Kicked Off Flight After Daughter With Autism Deemed 'Disruptive'

An Oregon mom has filed a complaint against United Airlines after it removed her and family from a flight because it said her 15-year-old daughter, who has autism, had become "disruptive."

The woman, Dr. Donna Beegle of Tigard, Oregon — a prominent advocate for anti-poverty programs who frequently consults with state and federal government agencies — was returning home with her family from a trip to Walt Disney World last week when her daughter Juliette became agitated because she was hungry during a layover in Houston, Beegle said.

Beegle said that after she persuaded a flight attendant to give her daughter some hot food, Juliette had calmed down and was quietly watching a movie when "the next thing we hear is we're doing an emergency landing in Salt Lake City," Beegle told NBC station KGW of Portland, Oregon. "We have a passenger on board with a behavior issue."

Police officers boarded the plane and escorted the entire family off, Beegle told the station. "As a mom it ripped my heart out," she said. "I was shaking."

The incident was recorded in a video posted to YouTube that Beegle authenticated. In the video, a passenger can be heard remarking, "It's ridiculous." Another says, "That's going to be a lawsuit."

"Juliette has flown since she was six months," Beegle said in a long account of the incident that she posted to Facebook. "She has been to five countries, 24 states and we have never experienced anything like this."

Beegle called the incident "a sheer case of ignorance," adding: "Prejudice, ignorance and mistreatment are all too common toward people facing poverty," she added. "The parallels between special needs and poverty are striking in that both are causes for judgement, misunderstanding and mistreatment."

In a statement, United said its "crew made the best decision for the safety and comfort of all of our customers and elected to divert to Salt Lake City after the situation became disruptive."

Beegle said Saturday that she has filed official complaints with United and the Federal Aviation Administration and that she plans to sue the airline — not for money, "but rather to ask that airline staff receive training."

I love the lawsuit demanding that United staff "receive training", instead of for cash.

After googling this story, there appear to be a number of cases where people have been kicked off flights for ludicrous reasons. A flight attendant for Korean Air was even kicked off a flight for "improperly" serving nuts to the daughter of the airline's CEO!

Discuss!

 

[warpus]

I feel sympathy for this family, as I do have friends who have a son with a fairly extreme form of autism. Life isn't easy for them... at all. It's a constant struggle.

But it's very hard to comment without having seen what the exact nature of the "disruption" was. It's very easy to blame the airline staff for being ignorant and not understanding the situation, but it's fully possible that this child was actually causing a disruption that would warrant the family's removal from the flight.

I watched the video, but it only starts when the family is being escorted out - it doesn't show the "incident" that caused the whole fiasco.

 

[Formaldehyde]

This CBS News video has a more details regarding what occurred.

The airlines have become Nazi storm troopers regarding any supposed disruption, ever since 9/11. Nobody dares talk back to a flight attendant anymore unless they want to risk becoming the next victim.

 

[Kozmos]

I never understood why we don't sedate all passengers on airlines except the pilots. Less trouble that way for everyone. Show up with a doctors note you can handle anesthesia and wake up 10 hours later at your destination.

 

[Samson]

I never understood why we don't sedate all passengers on airlines except the pilots. Less trouble that way for everyone. Show up with a doctors note you can handle anesthesia and wake up 10 hours later at your destination.

General anesthesia is still not that safe. [googles] Actually it is not that bad, seven patients in every million die. Still probably a bit high for regular use to save boredom.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Even better, we should all be put in shackles affixed to the seats like prisoner transports use. Then we should be gagged so as not to be able create any sort of disruption. Just try to hijack a plane while flying that way. It will also minimize costs because there will no longer be a need for bathrooms, in-flight meals, or TSA busybodies. But first class seats will have extra padding on the restraints.

 

[Kozmos]

We should all be put into gigamissiles and drop-podded onto the country of our destination.

 

[warpus]

This CBS News video has a more details regarding what occurred.

the problem started when she asked a flight attendant if she could purchase a hot meal for her 15-year-old daughter Juliette , who will not eat cold food. The attendant told her that hot food wasn't available to passengers in coach.

It seems to me that this family should have notified the airline ahead of time and made the appropriate arrangements. Airlines will usually offer accommodations if you have a unique need like this! You just need to tell them ahead of time and not expect to be catered to when you tell them at the last possible minute, which is what seems to have happened in this case.

I have sympathy for this family, but it seems that these problems started because they did not plan ahead.

With that aside, I do also think that the crew should have been more accommodating to the request and the slightly unusual circumstances..

I fly frequently enough, and American (and Canadian) airlines do have a reputation for being "crappy", compared to other airlines around the world, whether it's South American ones, (some) European, Kiwi, Asian, or whatever. The service is poorer, the staff aren't as accommodating, and so on. If you want to have a better flying experience - give airlines like LAN and Air New Zealand a try. Sure, for internal American travel this is not an option - but I'm just making a point that North American airline standards are very very low from a customer service perspective.

So they should have been accommodating, but I'm not surprised that they weren't. Flying in North America sucks balls. (comparatively speaking)

In the end I'm surprised that this family, who seems to fly from time to time, didn't request special accommodations to begin with. I suppose they might have gotten used to hot meals being offered on all their previous flights..? And were caught off guard when hot meals were not offered? Either way, if you have a special needs person, someone who needs special accommodations - contact the airline ahead of time.

Juliette reportedly was crying as the result of the incident, though her family denies it was loud enough to bother other passengers. Others on the plane, however, likened the noises the teen was making to a "howl."

There was a lot of howling, and we thought well, what’s going on? And it never stopped,” Hedlund said.

She told KOIN 6 News she explained that if her daughter didn’t get a hot meal, she would “get to the meltdown point” and maybe scratch someone.

It does seem it lead to a bit of a state that warrants being termed a "distraction". And unfortunately these days that means that the plane might be diverted and land - that's just a standard protocol in this "post 9-11" world we live in. No matter what the reason for the disturbance was.

It's unfortunate, but that's how it is. If you fly with an autistic child, and if there's any chance of a "meltdown" or anything similar - make arrangements ahead of time.

The airlines have become Nazi storm troopers regarding any supposed disruption, ever since 9/11. Nobody dares talk back to a flight attendant anymore unless they want to risk becoming the next victim.

Well, no, you should never "talk back" to a flight attendant. This is not what happened in this case, mind you, but "talking back" to a flight attendant is just a stupid stupid idea.

I agree with you about the increased annoyance and absurdity of flying in North America after 9-11 - The U.S. in particular is a.. horrible place to fly through. I try to avoid it if I can.

 

[illram]

Whatever fault lies with the parents for not adequately planning ahead or explaining the situation, emergency landings due to behavior issues short of a travel safety issue seems overwrought. There shod be a clearer delineation between when passengers and crew just have to deal with it, like a disruptive child, and when there is a genuine issue that needs to make the plane land.

If anyone has experience as a flight attendant and could shed some light on why this for instance could constitute a safety issue I'd love to hear it.

 

[warpus]

Whatever fault lies with the parents for not adequately planning ahead or explaining the situation, emergency landings due to behavior issues short of a travel safety issue seems overwrought.

No disagreement from me here - the bar seems to be set too low. It's something you just need to keep in mind when you fly (in North America at least) these days.

I think they are worried that such a distraction (somebody howling, scratching, etc.) will prevent staff from performing their duties - it might for example distract them from dealing with other situations - potentially dangerous ones.

When you fly these days you.. listen to commands from the flight staff and don't make a scene. That's just the reality of it. They likely have "0 tolerance" rules for scenarios like these.. which is unfortunate for these exceptional situations and this family.

 

[Formaldehyde]

It seems to me that this family should have notified the airline ahead of time and made the appropriate arrangements. Airlines will usually offer accommodations if you have a unique need like this! You just need to tell them ahead of time and not expect to be catered to when you tell them at the last possible minute, which is what seems to have happened in this case.

The way I understand it is that the child became anxious, which she did on rare occasions. The mother knew from past experience that giving her a hot meal usually calmed her down.

She attempted to do so and ran into the usual bureaucratic nonsense. So she told the flight attendant what would likely happen if she didn't have a hot meal to give to the child. The flight attendant finally relented and provided it to her without the child becoming disruptive at all.

The captain was told what was going on and peremptorily decided that he needed to perform a needless emergency landing, despite not having any sort of valid reason to do so.

All this is confirmed by the other passengers making the remarks captured on the video that she was going to successfully sue them for needlessly throwing them off the flight.

Well, no, you should never "talk back" to a flight attendant. This is not what happened in this case, mind you, but "talking back" to a flight attendant is just a stupid stupid idea.

Giving them the authority to now get away with being Nazi storm troopers, turn planes around, and throw people off of them under armed arrest without any sort of legitimate reason, is what I think is a "stupid stupid idea". YMMV.

 

[warpus]

The reality of the situation is that if you talk back to a flight attendant, you are going to have a bad time...

 

[NovaKart]

Just a few weeks ago united airlines had another controversy.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-passenger-Tamera-Ahmad-denied-Diet-Coke.html

I'm going to avoid traveling with them in the future, I mean if there's a choice that fits my schedule and the price difference is not much in their favor ill take the other option.

 

[warpus]

Just a few weeks ago united airlines had another controversy.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-passenger-Tamera-Ahmad-denied-Diet-Coke.html

I'm going to avoid traveling with them in the future, I mean if there's a choice that fits my schedule and the price difference is not much in their favor ill take the other option.

Just avoid North American airlines in general, if you can. They all suck in the customer service department, for the most part. The standards are not very high.

 

[NovaKart]

Just avoid North American airlines in general, if you can. They all suck in the customer service department, for the most part. The standards are not very high.

If you're flying domestically in America you can't avoid it. I normally take Turkish airlines when going to USA but to see my parents I take a flight from NYC to Kentucky and it has to be American.

I always have to go through extra security checks now since its been noticed I live in Iraq apparently. They're nice and polite at check in and then they put my info into the computer and a shocked expression comes across their face as they call for a supervisor. Last time as I was flying out of New York at JFK two men got in an argument over who had to do my security check. One of them refused to do it and the other said he refused because he's had to cover for the other guy too much. They were arguing about this right in front of me. After one of them walked off I was thinking, do they just want me to search myself or what? Finally one of them did it.

 

[Formaldehyde]

The reality of the situation is that if you talk back to a flight attendant, you are going to have a bad time...

I hope you are referring to one of my favorite South Park episodes of all time.

And I know. It doesn't mean I have to like it.

Just a few weeks ago united airlines had another controversy.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-passenger-Tamera-Ahmad-denied-Diet-Coke.html

I'm going to avoid traveling with them in the future, I mean if there's a choice that fits my schedule and the price difference is not much in their favor ill take the other option.

I noticed that when it occurred. I should have put it in the OP. Isn't that beyond absurd?

I have no idea how any Muslim tolerates the way they are frequently treated at airports and aboard airplanes anymore. I'm fairly certain I would resent it so much that I would make myself even more suspect every time I flew.

I always have to go through extra security checks now since its been noticed I live in Iraq apparently. They're nice and polite at check in and then they put my info into the computer and a shocked expression comes across their face as they call for a supervisor. Last time as I was flying out of New York at JFK two men got in an argument over who had to do my security check. One of them refused to do it and the other said he refused because he's had to cover for the other guy too much. They were arguing about this right in front of me. After one of them walked off I was thinking, do they just want me to search myself or what? Finally one of them did it.

It's too bad you can't video record the encounters and make a blog.

 

[warpus]

And I know. It doesn't mean I have to like it.

Oh, I hate it. It makes me want to say "I THOUGHT THIS WAS CANADA", but then I remember that it's not, so I surrender my personal rights, freedoms, and comforts temporarily while I make my way through American airports. I make a point to behave very very well. No jokes. No smartarse comments. No BS. Just go through the process, smile, be as polite as possible, answer all the questions, and get it over with. Not that Canada is a flying paradise or anything, but it is quite a bit better overall, and as long as I'm referencing that particular South Park episode, I thought I'd continue.

Don't get me wrong though, I quite enjoy America. I just hate flying through it.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Yeah. It's a great country except for all the parts that suck.

 

[NovaKart]

I noticed that when it occurred. I should have put it in the OP. Isn't that beyond absurd?

I have no idea how any Muslim tolerates the way they are frequently treated at airports and aboard airplanes anymore. I'm fairly certain I would resent it so much that I would make myself even more suspect every time I flew.

Normally you have to purchase alcoholic drinks and I was thinking the difference is economical. They can probably fill two or three little plastic cups half filled with ice with one can. I mean its absurd to think she could hijack a plane with a can of diet coke. Even if its for safety measures, it's idiotic of the flight attendant to respond that way.

 

[classical_hero]

Didn't we discuss this weeks ago?