A Plane and an iPad

Air travel can be tough for people on the spectrum, as previous posts have explained. ABC News reports:

A teenager with autism, flying on American Airlines, was nearly forced to turn off the iPad she uses to communicate.

Carly Fleischmann, who has been profiled on ABC News, was flying from Los Angeles to her home in Toronto on Aug. 10 when she was approached by a flight attendant who told her she needed to turn off her iPad during takeoff. The trouble is, if Fleischmann can't use her iPad, she can't communicate. Because of autism, she cannot speak.

Howard Dalal, Fleischmann's aide and lead therapist, was with Fleischmann on the flight. He told ABC News Fleischmann suffers from Oral Motor Apraxia, which means her thoughts are clear in her mind, but they get jumbled on the way to her mouth. She lacks the fine motor skills to use a pen, and only knows a little sign language. She types with one finger.
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The flight attendant who approached Fleischmann was eventually overruled by the pilot, who said Fleischmann could leave her iPad on. Dalal said they met up with the pilot again at customs in Toronto, and he told Dalal and Fleischmann that the policy was "ridiculous." Further, Dalal said that the pilot said the pilots themselves use iPads during takeoff and landing.

"There is virtually no evidence that any consumer electronics can or have had any deleterious effect on the aircraft systems, and least of all would be an iPad in airplane mode," said John Nance, ABC News aviation consultant. "The slavish 'we're just following orders' response of airline personnel in the face of unusual challenges is sad at best, and reprehensible at worst."

Autism and Airport Security

Autism overlaps with a wide array of public policy issues, including many that one would not initially expect. Take airport security, for example. Lisa Black writes at The Chicago Tribune:

The TSA has worked with 70 disability-related groups to develop its screening techniques for people with physical and hidden conditions, such as autism, said James Fotenos, agency spokesman. Family members or traveling companions should notify security officers of any disability that may call for special assistance or privacy, he said.

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Travelers with autism or other hidden disabilities face different challenges.

Experts advise families to arrive at the airport early and inform the TSA agents about a disability. Parents can prepare a child by showing them pictures of the terminal in advance and by bringing along comforting foods or activities.

"Oftentimes, children with autism become quite anxious when faced with new situations, especially around the holiday time. There are already things that are different," said Brian Freedman, clinical director of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore.

Sometimes things do not go well. Consider an incident a few weeks ago, via WVEC (Hampton Roads, VA):

Problems predated the recent enhanced security procedures. See a post from January 2010.

Heckuva Job, TSA

Airport screeners detained an autistic person. An eight-year-old autistic person. Sabeeha Rehman writes:

My 8 year old grandson Omar, who is on the autism spectrum, was pulled out at the airport and investigated as a terror suspect - his name being similar to that on the watch list. He was enroute to Disney World with his parents and siblings. He was held for an hour and it was only when his date of birth (2001) did not match that of the person's on the watch list, who we understand was in his twenties, and after several huddled meetings and phone calls, was he and his family allowed to board the plane. He was agitated while being held for an hour, and sat there stimming, but they had to go through their procedures, before they could rule him out as a terrorist. Had his father not been with him during the one hour detention - he too was detained and then cleared - I dread to think of the damage that would have done to Omar.