Guest author: Jamie Kral
As the parent of an autistic, non-speaking child, air travel can feel overwhelming. Long lines, crowded airports, unexpected changes, and sensory overload can quickly turn an exciting vacation into a stressful experience.
Before our recent trip to Oregon, I spent a lot of time researching ways to make flying easier for our family. The good news? There are incredible resources available, and they made a tremendous difference for us.
I put together a simple guide for other parents in hopes that it might make your family’s next trip a little easier.
Tip: Before you do the following, make sure you have your flight confirmation information readily available, including:
- Your flight confirmation number
- Departure and arrival airports
- Flight numbers
- Departure and arrival times
1. TSA Cares (Use This!)
About two weeks before our trip, I completed the TSA Cares online form, and it was one of the best decisions I made while preparing for our vacation. You can find that form here: https://www.tsa.gov/contact-center/form/cares
One section of the form asked me to describe the type of screening assistance we needed. Rather than simply checking a box, I explained our family’s specific needs and included the following information:
We are traveling with our 12-year-old son, A., who is autistic and nonspeaking. He communicates using a speech generating device, which is an iPad, rather than spoken language. His AAC device is his voice and is essential for him to communicate with others, so we ask that it remain accessible to him whenever possible throughout the screening process.
Because of his disability, long waits, crowded lines, and unfamiliar environments can become overwhelming and make it difficult for him to remain regulated. He may not understand or respond to unfamiliar verbal instructions from TSA officers and is unable to answer questions verbally.
We are requesting a Passenger Support Specialist to assist our family through the security screening process. If possible, we would appreciate assistance in minimizing prolonged waiting in crowded lines, keeping our family together throughout screening, and providing clear, simple instructions so we can help A. understand each step.
Over the following week, I received several emails from TSA:
- A confirmation that my online form had been received.
- A confirmation that they would be able to provide assistance.
- Detailed instructions explaining exactly what to do when we arrived at the airport on the day of our flight.
At O’Hare (ORD), we were instructed to per the last email I received:
- Check in with United first with the bags we were checking.
- Call (773) 377-1300 after checking in.
- A Transportation Security Manager or Passenger Support Specialist would then meet us and assist us through the screening process.
Our experience at O’Hare:
- Calling for the passenger support specialist was easy, and they met us quickly where we were.
- We did not have to wait in the regular security line.
- We did not have to remove items from our bags.
- The entire screening process was much calmer and far less stressful.
I cannot recommend TSA Cares enough. Note: TSA Cares only gets you through security. If you think you will need preboarding continue below.
2. Contact Your Airline’s Accessibility Desk Before Your Flight
United Airlines Accessibility Desk:
Phone: 1-800-228-2744
- You can find your airlines accessibility desk number at this link: https://equalaccessibility.co/resources/airline-accessibility-departments/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
About a week before our trip, I called United’s Accessibility Desk and explained that my son is:
- Autistic
- Non-speaking
- A user of AAC which was a speech generated device
- Someone who would benefit from disability preboarding
The representative added a note to my son’s reservation indicating that he has a cognitive disability (Autism) and is non-speaking. This phone call was quick and probably only took 5 minutes or less.
When we checked our boarding passes through the United app the day before our flight, we noticed they had been updated to say: “Eligible to Preboard.” This lets the agents know when you are boarding that you are allowed to get on when they announce preboarding for families, persons with disabilities etc.
Preboarding was incredibly helpful. It gave us extra time to:
- Get settled.
- Store our bags.
- Organize our son’s things.
- Avoid standing in crowded boarding lines.
- Reduce unnecessary anxiety.
3. Watch for an Email from Your Destination Airport
A few days before our return flight, I received an email from the Portland International Airport (PDX) TSA Customer Support Team confirming our assistance request.
They provided us phone number and instructed us to call after we had checked our bags.
Portland (PDX) TSA Contact Numbers:
- Coordination Center: (503) 889-3088
If Coordination Center didn’t answer, we were instructed to call
- Duty Manager: (503) 889-2292
A TSA Customer Service team member met us and escorted us through security, by passing everyone in line. Took us to a private security area where no one would be waiting behind us.
Just like our experience at O’Hare:
- We bypassed the regular security line.
- We kept our devices, laptops, and quart size bag of liquids inside our bags.
- We walked through the metal detector one at a time.
- The process was calm, organized, and efficient.
One of the most unexpected and thoughtful moments of our trip happened at the Portland airport. The TSA Customer Service team member gave our son a sensory bag filled with goodies which included:
- Earmuffs
- Crayons
- A mini airplane coloring book
- Fidget toys
- A sunflower lanyard with a hidden disability identification card
- A laminated airplane identification brochure
- A feelings identification card
My Biggest Takeaway
I know many parents worry about how their child will handle the airport, the crowds, the security checkpoint, or the flight itself. I worried, too.
But this trip reminded me that there are people who genuinely want to help.
The TSA employees at both airports were kind, patient, and understanding. United’s accessibility team made preboarding seamless. And every accommodation we requested helped reduce stress and made traveling feel possible.
If you’re considering flying with your child with special needs, I encourage you to take advantage of these resources.
You might be surprised by just how much they help. — JK
Jamie is a friend of the firm, and kindly shared her experience, tips, and correspondence with us to share with you!