Comments on: Autistic toddler kicked off plane

By: Mary Anne

Mary Anne — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:13:24 +0000

This is so wrong on so many levels. With an increase in the number of children being diagnose within the autism spectrum, the rest of humanity is going to have to learn how to ‘deal with it’. Just as decades ago people would not want to be near a person with cancer (thought it might be contagious) but now do not think twice about being with someone with this disease, the public is going to have to become at ease with those in the autism spectrum.
I have Asperger’s Syndrome, mild CP, a seizure disorder, severe asthma, was born with Atrial Septal Defect and now have Hepatitis C that was in a blood transfusion given while fixing the ASD. I guess I probably would have been kicked off the plane too…just in case I accidentally cut myself and bled on someone ! (Can’t catch it that way for real !).
This story makes me really angry at people and is why I stay at home always.

By: Naomi

Naomi — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 19:15:11 +0000

Wow that is messed up!!! I think I would have really thrown a shit fit.

By: Marla

Marla — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 02:54:08 +0000

Sad situation. Makes me nervous to travel.

By: Tiffany Wright

Tiffany Wright — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:28:21 +0000

I would think she would have told them too but she didn’t say anything about it in the interviews I’ve seen so it makes me wonder. Cause I would have been like, “I tried to explain to them that he’s autistic…” But that’s just me. Maybe she didn’t mention it cause it was obvious since all the stories are saying her son was autistic so obviously someone knew he was somehow, right? Anyway, I hadn’t heard about it until you posted about it but I was so fired up after I read it and watched the video and then posted here that I had to go blog out my frustration on MY blog! LOL! I might have gotten a little carried away but it’s just that I know that could have been me so many times throughout David’s 9 years and I am grateful that we’ve had great service in those situations but I know it could easily have gone the other way. I think that’s why it hits me so hard here. Kwim?

By: FXSmom

FXSmom — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:05:20 +0000

Excellent points from all of you! I was infuriated when I read this too.

Many years ago my aunt was kicked off a bus because her two year old was pitching a fit. She was left alone in Denver, at night with a 2 year old. She was 12 hours from her destination and her family. She and her son spent the night in a cemetary. She figured that was the safest place to be.

I learned then that people could be cruel. Instead of finding a safe solution for all they found a solution for just many.

I’m sure in that situation the mom probably mentioned that her son had autism. I know I would have. I just hope that in the future airlines will get more and more accepting of our children and realize how better to handle themselves around our kids.

By: 19thmayflower

19thmayflower — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 06:38:02 +0000

yea i think Mrs Farrell did not explain to the cabin crew that her son is autistic. it must have been hard for both the crew and Mrs Farrell. i’m a preschool teacher with 2 autistic kids in class and i can tell ya, it’s a headache. so i understand how both must have felt.

By: Tiffany Wright

Tiffany Wright — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:21:09 +0000

I’ve been in that situation with David plenty of times on flights (not getting kicked off but having him melt down). We’ve received varied responses from flight crews. Most of the time we’ve been pretty lucky and had kind people to work with but there have been times when I wanted to smack them in the face for being rude. Kwim? I think, personally, that if they were aware of his disability (mom may not have disclosed that he had autism) and they still kicked them off the plane then doesn’t that violate the laws protecting individuals with disabilities? Even if they didn’t know, she could probably still sue them and win or at least get a settlement. I’m not sure that I would do it but I know I’d be plenty angry over something like this. I am angry and it didn’t even happen to me! I have seen plenty of “normal” children acting worse than I’ve ever seen David act on a plane and no one gave a 2nd thought to it. I just think the world has become so self-centered that no one ever stops to think that maybe there might be something they could do to help someone. They just think how any given situation might make their life a little less ideal, a little less easy, a little less comfortable. Kwim? I really think that this whole “lets kick people with small children off of planes” bit has gone way too far! I’m sorry but, just because a kid cries or doesn’t wear his seatbelt as tight as an adult might or maybe doesn’t act like an adult (heaven forbid!) that they are not safe to have on a plane! HELLO!!!! Try looking for terrorists rather than picking on parents traveling with young children! Sorry. I’m gonna jump off my soap box now and let it go but I think you can tell how I feel about it. I put myself in that mother’s shoes and I know what she was going through cause we’ve been there in other situations with David, where people try to talk to him or yell at him or yell at me because of him and it just heightens the situations. It’s not productive in any way at all for them or anyone. That’s just my opinion.

By: lastcrazyhorn

lastcrazyhorn — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:03:56 +0000

And it had to be North Carolina too. *slaps hand over eyes*

Oh geez. What the hell is the world doing to itself?

By: jesseybean

jesseybean — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:28:33 +0000

This is awful! There is a problem when someone with disabilities gets kicked off the plane for having just that, a disability. I cant believe they turned the plane around. I’m sure if someone just asked the mother if there was a problem or if they could help, it would have turned out alot differently. Geez.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:16:04 +0000

Well, I feel for everyone involved. It is not easy to watch a toddler pitch a fit & most people assume the parents (mother) are responsible for the behaviour.

I haven’t quite “been there” as in being escorted off an airplane, but I have been in public for a meltdown more than once. It is humiliating, it is scary & it is the most helpless I have ever felt, because there is nothing that will help.

All in all, despicable behaviour on the part of the airline staff. Taking an extra moment to be kind, find out what the problem was, perhaps assist the mother in retriving an item or two from her bag, all those things might have helped. Grr. Momma bear comin’ out again!!