In light of stories earlier this summer about autistic children being removed from airplanes and the skies being less than friendly for autism assistance dogs too, this story is, well, a bit more uplifting. Today’s San Jose Mercury News reports on Take Flight for Kids, which was held yesterday at the San Jose Reid-Hillview Airport and whose sponsors included Guide Dogs for the Blind:
The stated goal of the festival, which provided free, 20-minute, small-plane rides to about 150 disabled or critically ill youngsters and their parents, is to show them that “the sky is literally the limit to reaching out …read more

While traveling from Detroit to Seattle on Southwest Airlines, a mother with four children, one who has autism and another who has cerebral palsy, and her five-month pregnant sister were stranded in Phoenix after being told they were “too disruptive” to continue on a connecting flight to Seattle. Wendy Slaughter acknowledged that her children were “loud and kept getting up and walking around the plane.” KIRO reports about what happened on Friday:
When the family landed in Phoenix they were met at the gate by police officers, detained and told they were too disruptive to get on their connecting flight to …read more

I suppose it’s not surprising that the story of an autistic toddler and his mother being removed from an airplane got so much attention last week. Airplane is travel is neither so friendly nor so fun (or affordable) for anyone these days. The story of Jarret Farrell really home with me because, a couple of days before, Charlie and I had had our own difficult traveling moment.
There’s no plans of Charlie having to fly anywhere till December when we go to visit my family in California (already bought the tickets—-I like to fly on red eyes or very early with …read more

Being different; being disruptive; looking different; smelling funny (according to those who think they don’t); yowling………
What do these apply to?
Are these perhaps a few reasons why a 2 year old and his mother were kicked off an American Eagle plane, or a 13-year-old’s parents had a restraining order filed against them, or a 5 year old was voted out of his class?
Well yes, but actually, nope.
The different-looking-and-being, disruptive-behaving, smelling-funny, yowly individual I am referring to is……………..Po aka Kung Fu Panda.
Charlie and I saw the movie Kung Fu Panda Tuesday evening. We haven’t seen a movie in a while and we …read more

The response to 2 year old Jarret Farrell and his mother, Janice Farrell, being removed from an American Eagle flight at the Raleigh-Durham (NC) because of his behavior—-
“The child had been crying and screaming uncontrollably, to the point where the child’s well being was in question,” American Airlines, the parent company of American Eagle, said in a statement. “Though, ultimately, the parent’s violation of FAA regulations was the cause for removal, both situations contributed to an uncomfortable and potentially unsafe atmosphere for our passengers and crew.”
—is reminding me a lot of the response to 13-year-old Adam Race, whose parents were …read more