topic Autistic Boy's Flight in Community Chat

Autistic Boy's Flight

Jordan2 — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 22:05:17 GMT

I don't remember where I saw this story, but there was this boy with Autism taking a flight to visit his father. His mother really didn't know how he would fare, she wrote a note for her son to give to the person he would sit next to. In the note she stated her son had Autism and probably would ask them if they were there yet several times, she enclosed $10 and hoped they would be kind to her son. The man he was seated next to took a selfie of himself and the boy, sent it to the mother. He said he did ask several times if they were there yet, but it was okay and they had a good time. The man donated the $10 to an Autism charity. This made me feel so good, there are kind , decent people, we always hear about the bad, it was nice to see a happy story. God bless that man and the boy.

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

JYWilliams — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 22:10:19 GMT

I saw it on the news yesterday also. I was so happy that this young child had someone sitting next to him that cared enough to take up with him. That was a heart warming story.

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

Jordan2 — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 22:16:00 GMT

@JYWilliams wrote:
I saw it on the news yesterday also. I was so happy that this young child had someone sitting next to him that cared enough to take up with him. That was a heart warming story.

The kid was really lucky to have sat next to such a kind hearted soul, I don't know how old a man he is, but I bet he has children of his own.

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

Annabellethecat66 — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 22:21:03 GMT

@Jordan2 Thanks for posting that story. It was nice.

I think there are way, way more nice people in this world than there are mean and hateful people.

I've always believed if you approach someone with a smile, most of the time they'll smile back.

The boy is also lucky because he has an amazing mom who obviously loves him very much.

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

SahmIam — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 22:26:50 GMT

I read the story. Personally, I think it was irresponsible and beyond the pale to 1) send a 7 year old child on a flight alone with the additional concern of a medical condition and 2) expect other people to care for your child.

My child, my responsibility. End of discussion.

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

Mz iMac — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 22:41:45 GMT

@SahmIam wrote:
2) expect other people to care for your child.

For $10 no less.

"enclosed $10 and hoped they would be kind to her son."

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

Brisky — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 22:58:21 GMT

I thought airlines have a rule that if child is under age
they must be accompanied by parent or guardian?

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

50Mickey — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 22:58:56 GMT

I think this is more of a testament to the kindness of strangers that a judgemnt of the mother. Unless you have walked a mile in her shoes don't judge. Thank God for this kind and caring man. There are still a few kind people left in this sometimes cruel world.

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

jonbon — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 23:06:44 GMT

@Brisky wrote:
I thought airlines have a rule that if child is under age
they must be accompanied by parent or guardian?

They can fly as "unaccompanied minors." The rules vary by airline, I think.

As an aside, I saw the following board in the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport on my last time through. I thought it was so great that I took a photo of it:

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

Brisky — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 23:09:24 GMT

Yes this boy was lucky and so was the mother. Their are a lot of good people out there. Seven years old is to young to be unacompanied in my opinion.

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

Mz iMac — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 23:13:09 GMT

@Brisky wrote:
I thought airlines have a rule that if child is under age
they must be accompanied by parent or guardian?

Delta Airline rules: A stewardess will be assigned to the child till the age of 17. Not sure if that age rule still applies. It did 5 yrs ago.

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

Nonametoday — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 23:16:38 GMT

I don't think any child under the age of 13 should be put on an airplane alone, let alone one with Autism. That is cruel for a parent to do that, cruel of the mother to send him and cruel of the father to expect him to be transported in such a careless and uncaring manner. Shame on both parents.

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

Brisky — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 23:18:46 GMT

Didn't know that! Thanks for the information Mz iMac!

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

Sage04 — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 23:20:18 GMT

Of course the flight attendants were responsible for him. No way would he be allowed to travel by himself at that age. He could have been seated to someone who would get annoyed with him but he was seated to someone who played games with him and kept him comfortable.

The mom did the perfect thing by giving him the note because people like to judge kids behavior not thinking that something could be wrong.

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

Sage04 — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 23:24:14 GMT

People have to stop assuming that his mom let him travel alone. That would never happen on an airline. My niece and nephew are 14 and 15 and my sister had to pay extra for them to travel a few months ago. It depends on the airline. At one time it used to be age 12.

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

Jordan2 — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 23:36:30 GMT

We don’t know the mother’s situation with her son, it can’t be easy possibly being a single mother raising a child with Autism. I can’t believe that a flight attendant doesn’t keep an eye on a child traveling alone. The father has a right to see his son, she probably has no choice but to send him on his own.

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

FrostyBabe1 — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 02:40:57 GMT

Children between the ages of 5 and 14 are required to participate/pay fees for the unaccompanied minor program on most major airlines. Children age 4 and under may not travel alone, those between 5-7 are only allowed on some non-stop flights, and those between 8-14 may make connections. Children between 15-17 may travel alone, with some allowing children to travel alone at age 12. The fee is usually $150 each way. Flight attendants (and yes, that is the correct term, steward/stewardess went out the window a long time ago) are only responsible for watching them while on-board the aircraft, but they're already very busy. Most flights go out with only the FAA mandated minimum staffing. They don't have time to sit and play with the kids or make them the focus of their attention. Other airline personnel make sure they get to their flights, get delivered to the adult picking them up, etc.

Here's the info from just one airline, Delta:

https://www.delta.com/us/en/children-infant-travel/unaccompanied-minor-program

I'm not the child's parent and am not familiar with his medical records, but boy, would I think long and hard before putting an autistic child on an airplane alone. Who you are seated next to is always a ****** shoot. Fortunately it turned out okay, but it could've just as easily be an horror story.

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

SahmIam — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 23:42:50 GMT

People aren't assuming; the mother stated that she sent her child, who has Autism, alone on the plane with a note and $10 in the hope that someone would be kind to him and look after him.

Both parents are to be shamed, IMHO. One of my nephews has Autism; you never know when something can go wrong. Like the flight crew have nothing else to do on a flight but care for your child. To assume other passengers want to care for your child because you don't is rude. There is no excuse for a young child especially with a medical condition to be sent alone on a flight; neither parent wanted to make the effort to fly out with the child so she pinned a note on him and attached money.

Shows how important he is to them both. Thank God there a good person on board instead of someone else who saw ample opportunity to do harm.

I advocate on the behalf of children as they have no voice in society. This situation plays out far more often than people may realize and it REALLY ticks me off; especially that so many excuse it as "no big deal" and "oh, you don't know the mom/dad situation".

Please.

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

Jordan2 — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 23:51:39 GMT

Every parent knows their child, what they are capable of. I admit to not being an expert on Autism, there are varying degrees of the spectrum. I believe the mother said he is high functioning autistic, he may be use to the flight as he may visit his father often.

Re: Autistic Boy's Flight

Lisa now in AZ — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 00:10:07 GMT

Sorry, while I applaud the seatmate for being kind, there is NO WAY this should have happened, and I am starting to think it is a fake story. If the child needed to see his father, then one parent rides with him and maybe the other one brings him back. That is how divorced parents do that all the time - there is no way any child that age should travel alone. Especially since he is autistic, there is no way anyone would know what might set him off - a noise, a flashing light, etc. and unless someone was sitting with him who was traveling with him, those parents had no right to subject that child to that chance. Unbelievable. Sorry - that is NOT a feel good story to me and I pray they find that it is fake.