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cowlypso
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17 May 2007, 10:20 pm

Anybody have any suggestions for flying? I don't mind the actual flying, really. I don't have claustrophobia or a fear of crashing. I just hate everything that goes along with it.

-Standing in long lines with annoying kids and people crowding you
-Security asking you stupid questions or not being clear ("Am I required to take off my shoes?" "No, you aren't required, it's just recommended." "Okay, then since there's no chair here to sit down in so I don't lose my balance while I take them off, I'll leave them on." "Since you chose not to take off your shoes, we'll have to search you.")
-Too many people in waiting areas, and people standing around in random crowds that hover
-Getting stuck in the back of the plane where there's a ton of engine noise and vibration that doesn't work out too well with my sensory issues
-The person next to you sticking their elbows into your personal space and trying to talk to you
-Having to navigate around a strange airport to find your luggage and not knowing where to go
-Getting seated next to somebody with perfume so strong that you can't breathe, and the flight attendants refusing to help

So does anybody have any suggestions? Is there any way that some of this can be helped if I tell them about the AS? Or do they not care? How do you go about getting disability accomodations and what sorts of accomodations can you get for AS?

I'm going on two trips this summer. The first trip I am flying alone (with two layovers on the way there, one layover on the way back, yuck!). The second trip I am flying with a group. I'm not sure which is worse... When I fly alone, I often get overwhelmed and lost and feel panicked, but this spring I flew with a large group, and everybody ended up just standing in a huge pack right near where I was sitting, so I had this group of 20 people standing and talking right next to me. Very unsettling. But the airport was really crowded because of flight delays, so there wasn't anywhere to move to.

If it matters, I mostly fly within the U.S., although I will be going to Costa Rica this summer. Fortunately that one I will be flying with others, since I don't know much Spanish at all (hola, banyo, si.... that's about it).


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SteveK
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17 May 2007, 10:56 pm

cowlypso wrote:
Anybody have any suggestions for flying? I don't mind the actual flying, really. I don't have claustrophobia or a fear of crashing. I just hate everything that goes along with it.


RIGHT UP MY ALLY! I almost wrote a book on this!

cowlypso wrote:
-Standing in long lines with annoying kids and people crowding you


Join a frequent flyer program. Until you graduate, get there at least 40min before the flight(1.5 HOURS if it is southwest). For southwest, you can get into the first 40 person group by getting boarding passes 1 hour before.

Join the line JUST after the prior group finishes boarding. They USUALLY board in the following order:

disabled, first class, frequent flyer
last 5-10 rows
last 10-20 rows
last 15-30 rows
last 20-40 rows
last 25-50 rows

The first to get off are first class and POSSIBLY the first rows in coach or bussiness if there is such a section.

BRING EARPLUGS! BTW Watch the gate door. It is AGAINST FEDERAL LAW to leave the gate door open unattended or if a plane isn't there, and they break that law ALL THE TIME! The doors have alarms, and teh people are morons, so they usually don't dissarm so you may hear several alarms go off before your flight. They don't care, so the alarm may run for many minutes.

cowlypso wrote:
-Security asking you stupid questions or not being clear ("Am I required to take off my shoes?" "No, you aren't required, it's just recommended." "Okay, then since there's no chair here to sit down in so I don't lose my balance while I take them off, I'll leave them on." "Since you chose not to take off your shoes, we'll have to search you.")


Yeah, you DO have to take your shoes off(According to people at 5 airports I have been to), though they may allow you to go through, get hand searched, and run your shoes through.

cowlypso wrote:
-Too many people in waiting areas, and people standing around in random crowds that hover


I wait next to the gate often.

cowlypso wrote:
-Getting stuck in the back of the plane where there's a ton of engine noise and vibration that doesn't work out too well with my sensory issues


earplugs help. Try to get tickets 3 weeks ahead of time for best price/schedule/seat.

cowlypso wrote:
-The person next to you sticking their elbows into your personal space and trying to talk to you


OH GOD I HATE THAT! Sorry, no advice! 8-( Sometimes I wish I had a spiked armband like some dobermans. If I did though, everyone would be bleeding and probably sue me. I get hit THAT often!

cowlypso wrote:
-Having to navigate around a strange airport to find your luggage and not knowing where to go


If I knew the airport or your destinations, I might be able to help.

cowlypso wrote:
-Getting seated next to somebody with perfume so strong that you can't breathe, and the flight attendants refusing to help


I guess I have been lucky here. Sorry, no advice. 8-(

cowlypso wrote:
So does anybody have any suggestions? Is there any way that some of this can be helped if I tell them about the AS? Or do they not care? How do you go about getting disability accomodations and what sorts of accomodations can you get for AS?


You might not get ANY, but you can try!

BTW If you are not RIDICULOUSLY obese, can lift 45pounds or more, are over 15, can understand/read english, and are willing to help, you might be able to get into the exit row. The seats in front can NOT recline, and they HAVE to give you reasonable legroom, *****AND***** you can often get on earlier!

cowlypso wrote:
I'm going on two trips this summer. The first trip I am flying alone (with two layovers on the way there, one layover on the way back, yuck!). The second trip I am flying with a group. I'm not sure which is worse... When I fly alone, I often get overwhelmed and lost and feel panicked, but this spring I flew with a large group, and everybody ended up just standing in a huge pack right near where I was sitting, so I had this group of 20 people standing and talking right next to me. Very unsettling. But the airport was really crowded because of flight delays, so there wasn't anywhere to move to.

If it matters, I mostly fly within the U.S., although I will be going to Costa Rica this summer. Fortunately that one I will be flying with others, since I don't know much Spanish at all (hola, banyo, si.... that's about it).


BTW One bit of advice......... **********AVOID CHICAGO LIKE THE PLAGUE!! !!*********** That right there could save you LOTS of time, etc....

Steve



poopylungstuffing
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18 May 2007, 1:49 am

I have only flown twice...once to upstate New York and once back....

These are the things i hated about flying:


1. Sitting between Flakey and this lady who wanted to make smalltalk the entire time...it drove me INSANE!! !! !! !

2. um....Something about being on the plane seemed to make me sorta (swell up)....i don't know how normal that is....but I found it to be very uncomfortable....

these things surpassed all the other inconcveniences, like being stuck on the ground for hours because Al Gore was in town or having to turn around because there was something wrong with the wings of the plane.



scrulie
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18 May 2007, 3:02 am

poopylungstuffing wrote:
I have only flown twice...once to upstate New York and once back....

These are the things i hated about flying:


1. Sitting between Flakey and this lady who wanted to make smalltalk the entire time...it drove me INSANE!! !! !! !

2. um....Something about being on the plane seemed to make me sorta (swell up)....i don't know how normal that is....but I found it to be very uncomfortable....

these things surpassed all the other inconcveniences, like being stuck on the ground for hours because Al Gore was in town or having to turn around because there was something wrong with the wings of the plane.


The swelling up thing is because of the reduced pressure at high altitude. It's normal.

I HATE airports!! :x


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