AIRLINE SPECIAL ASSISTANCE

Guide for Families Flying with
Autistic Children

Disabled people (and this includes neurodivergent children with hidden disabilities) are protected by law from discrimination.

As a family with autistic children we are entitled to receive fair provision of services that do not put us at a disadvantage, including when flying.

Whether or not autistic children and neurodivergent families receive fair and equal treatment when travelling comes down to (in my opinion) three things:

The airline staff's personal willingness to make reasonable adjustments on the day
Whether an airline prioritises staff training around disability issues
If the airline has embedded a culture of inclusion, acceptance and understanding of disabilities across it workforce

Airlines are responsible for providing support at check-in and during the flight.

Each airline approaches special assistance slightly differently, and how this translates in real life is a mixed bag e.g. I have read awful stories of airlines not having aisle wheelchairs available and passengers having to crawl to the bathroom.

To make use of an airline's extra support you need to book special assistance through them when you make your ticket booking. The airline then passes your information to the Airport Special Assistance office - this is who provides the help you may need to navigate and get around the airport and to board the plane. For this reason both airlines and airports ask for at least 48 hours notice of your request for additional support. See our Airport page for more information on Special Assistance

HOW DO AIRLINE STAFF PROVIDE SPECIAL ASSISTANCE FOR AUTISTIC CHILDREN?

As I previously said, every airline is different but we have had help with the following things (not necessarily all from the same airline):

Help with self-check in and baggage drop - avoiding having to queue
Ensuring we are seated at least one adult with one child
Being boarded first - before other families
Being boarded last, just before take-off
Announcement that nuts would not be served and for passengers to refrain from consuming nut products
Being allowed to wait on the plane during a delay rather than disembark (and being offered complimentary refreshments!!)
General niceness and a willingness to be helpful
Retrieving our buggy for us at the airplane door on arrival - although we did have to wait quite a while. This meant we were able to put Charlie in the buggy for the long walk through the airport
Communicating with the airport for us when we were delayed and at risk of missing our connecting flight - they organised a speedy transfer for us in a minivan!

SIX HELPFUL THINGS TO REMEMBER

Pick up your sunflower lanyard from the special assistance desk in the airport for free
Ask your child to wear it - or you can wear it for them.
Make sure you submit your request for special assistance with the airline as far in advance as possible
It you need specific help you can identify yourself to a member of the airline staff at both the check in desks and before boarding at the gate
Some airlines have a special queue for Assistance Passengers - dont be afraid of using it!
Special Assistance desks normally have a dedicated waiting space with seating, so if need be one parent can wait with a child / children while the other sorts out the luggage.

SUNFLOWER LANYARDS FOR HIDDEN DISABILITIES

This is a lanyard for people with a hidden disability. It is printed with sunflowers and designed to be worn around the neck. It lets staff know you may require extra support.

You can collect the sunflower lanyard for free from the airport or order them (plus other helpful travel products) in advance of travelling from the Hidden Disability Sunflower website - the place where the scheme began.

Links to some AIRLINE SPECIAL ASSISTANCE pages and resources:

AERLINGUS

Pre Flight visual guide for children (18 page pdf)

On board visual guide for children (21 page pdf)

Post Flight visual guide for children (22 page pdf)

EASY JET

Non-visible disabilities

Special Assistance

RYAN AIR

Special Assistance – Ryanair Help Centre

BRITISH AIRWAYS

Visual guide | Special assistance | British Airways

Committment to the Sunflower Hidden Disability Scheme

General Information on Special Assistance

www.travellingwithsunflowers.co.uk

AIRLINE SPECIAL ASSISTANCEGuide for Families Flying withAutistic Children

Disabled people (and this includes neurodivergent children with hidden disabilities) are protected by law from discrimination. As a family with autistic children we are entitled to receive fair provision of services that do not put us at a disadvantage, including when flying.

​​Whether or not autistic children and neurodivergent families receive fair and equal treatment when travelling comes down to (in my opinion) three things:

The airline staff's personal willingness to make reasonable adjustments on the day

Whether an airline prioritises staff training around disability issues

If the airline has embedded a culture of inclusion, acceptance and understanding of disabilities across it workforce​​

​​​​​HOW DO AIRLINE STAFF PROVIDE SPECIAL ASSISTANCE FOR AUTISTIC CHILDREN?