TravelingWiki Engagement with Autism Practice/Policy Leadership; Advice Requested

[TravelingWiki]

As TravelingWiki.com seeks to continue attempts to augment access to air travel for the Autism, ALS, Dementia, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other communities (with non-visible disabilities), TravelingWiki will be meeting with at least one Autism Society CEO (over the next few weeks) and a variety of other in Leadership positions to learn more about ways travel for the Autism community can be augmented. To better inform these conversations, please let me know if there is any aspect of your travel experience today (for any travel today involving yourself or any stakeholder that travels with you that identifies as having a non-visible disability) that you think should be the focus of these discussions?

Do you feel comfortable taking your SN child on a plane today?
How can the experience be improved?
Who have you engaged on these topics

As more background, TravelingWiki (site at http://TravelingWiki.com), my non-profit profiling Autism resources at US airports, has very quickly become the largest free internet-based site of its kind (including documenting resources at US airports for Autism, ALS, Alzheimer's, Dementia, Parkinson's and other non visible disabilities via TSA.gov - https://www.tsa.gov/travel/tsa-cares/disabili...s-medical-conditions - and has been actively engaging with civic leaders - including The White House [Obama/Biden] & 9 current or recent US presidential candidates); 50+ media networks; multiple senators, the Former Deputy Asst. Secr. of the US Navy & Current President at South Carolina State University; multiple ambassadors; educational stakeholders; corporate leaders; and non-profit leaders. Especially as so much of the Autism community is non-verbal, this engagement has been especially meaningful. I do all of this work for free as a second job, on top of my daytime for profit work, to attempt to assist in the Special Needs community.

Thank you so much for considering the above information. As noted previously on this board, I am deeply passionate about trying to help in any way possible, and I deeply appreciate feedback that can help TravelingWiki be more efficient in its non-profit work.

Best Regards,
Jonathan
My Autism Non-Profit Website: http://www.Travelingwiki.com
Special Olympics Profile on TravelingWiki Non-Profit Work (Page 9): http://alturl.com/k862b
Media / Other Coverage of TravelingWiki: TravelingWiki in the News

 

[Neonatal RRT]

This is controversial because autism has such a varied presentation. In no way can anyone lump any of these conditions into a "no fly" classification, but rather it must be far more specific in its description. I can certainly understand that traveling with someone with significant sensory, social, and communication issues can be quite challenging. Worst case, disruptive to the people in the airport and on the aircraft, and possibly to the point of turning the aircraft around, causing everyone on board to miss connecting flights, and so on.

Many people have flight anxiety, even neurotypical folks. So, to have disruptions due to sensory issues of altitude changes, pressure and popping of the ears, being forced to sit in close quarters on a crowded aircraft, the unfamiliar noises and vibrations, it can be quite scary for not only the person with these issues, especially if they are vocalized, but to others traveling with them.

It's one thing to be traveling with a small child or infant on an aircraft, which most people would rather not do, but some are in a position where they "have to". Most travelers want a quiet, relaxing flight, and not one with a crying, inconsolable infant/child, and certainly not an older child, teen, or adult acting out verbally and physically due to fear and sensory issues.

That said, I might suggest that the language NOT specify any particular condition, but rather use more specific descriptors of behaviors that might not be allowed within the cabin of an aircraft. Careful use of language cannot be more emphasized.

 

[TravelingWiki]

Thank you very much for your guidance in this area. I am very appreciate of the opportunity to learn from your guidance; I may want to circle back as these conversations progress. Thank you again to everyone reading and responding here - this is a journey...attempting to help as much as possible...with an important focus on constant listening and iterating. Thank you again.

 

[Tom]

In addition to an Air Marshall, all flights should have ice cream and at least one llama.

Just joking as is my wont. But seriously, I think support animals are a fanatastic way to make certain things easier for ND folks. But I don't know how easy or hard it is to travel with a support animal and there is the issue of getting a support animal in the first place.

 

[Rodafina]

But I don't know how easy or hard it is to travel with a support animal

And I wonder how hard it is for the animal.

Some llamas love to fly, but some just don't. I've heard them complain that humans can be rather stinky in enclosed spaces.

 

[TravelingWiki]

In addition to an Air Marshall, all flights should have ice cream and at least one llama.

View attachment 127579



Just joking as is my wont. But seriously, I think support animals are a fanatastic way to make certain things easier for ND folks. But I don't know how easy or hard it is to travel with a support animal and there is the issue of getting a support animal in the first place.

Thank you for your comment - I take your comments very seriously. Given the variability in policies by specific airline and by country, TravelingWiki is focusing at this point on the US airport related resources and working with the TSA Cares Program to link between TSA Cares (which supports travelers at TSA Checkpoints) and TravelingWiki's documentation of resources, including via a direct link between TSA.gov & TSA Cares - see Non-Visible Disabilities & Medical Conditions | Transportation Security Administration The discussions over the coming weeks will focus in on airport related resources - I should have clarified that point above.

With that being said, as a general note that is not meant to weigh in definitively or provide legal guidance, DOT has taken up the topic of service animals / support animal including recent revision(s) in policy.

A few relevant cites in this area to DOT's resources (which relate to the use of Service Animals/Support Animals) include, but are not necessarily limited to:

Service Animals: https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/service-animals

To track activity in this area, it may be helpful to review the rule at: https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2020-12/Service Animal Final Rule.pdf

This is not a comprehensive answer meant to supply guidance, however this might be able to expound a bit further on the discussion above. Once again, I take this topic and the above referenced discussions very seriously. If you have further guidance on ways to view airport based sensory rooms for my upcoming discussions (?), please let me know. Thank you for this opportunity to engage.

 

[Tom]

And I wonder how hard it is for the animal.

Some llamas love to fly, but some just don't. I've heard them complain that humans can be rather stinky in enclosed spaces.

Ah, you are knowledgable in the ways of llamas I see.

 

[Rodafina]

Ah, you are knowledgable in the ways of llamas I see.

View attachment 127581

Oh yes. I have a llama sensei.

 

[VictorR]

If I may, I’d like to share some thoughts about your website, which I found difficult to navigate, and confusing. This isn’t intended to be harsh, but things that you may wish to consider:

• The name suggests it's a wiki but it looks like a standard website (e.g. not user editable)
• There's no navigation bar or index - everything seems to be based off the homepage
• The first several pages (scrolling down) on the homepage is self-promotion, and only after scrolling through this for a while does one reach content
• There doesn't appear to be alt text for the images
• Listings for a given airport provide rather limited information. Consider DEN for an example, you have listed a specific room within the Centurion Lounge, but there’s a lot of missing context, e.g.
  • Access to the DEN Centurion requires one hold an Amex Centurion or Platinum Card
  • At peak times, Platinum cardholders may have to wait for access
  • The location of the lounge itself within the airport, given that DEN has multiple terminals

In short, I commend your efforts and recognize you’re doing it on your own time but I feel that the website could use some work (you may wish to consider using templates) to make it more accessible, and there’s also the matter of whether you may wish to add more content or more detailed content first before going into promoting it widely. In the marketing world, it's always suggested that one do their best to make a strong first impression to bring someone back, and right now, the website is not exactly doing that.

 

[TravelingWiki]

Thank you very much for your

If I may, I’d like to share some thoughts about your website, which I found difficult to navigate, and confusing. This isn’t intended to be harsh, but things that you may wish to consider:

• The name suggests it's a wiki but it looks like a standard website (e.g. not user editable)
• There's no navigation bar or index - everything seems to be based off the homepage
• The first several pages (scrolling down) on the homepage is self-promotion, and only after scrolling through this for a while does one reach content
• There doesn't appear to be alt text for the images
• Listings for a given airport provide rather limited information. Consider DEN for an example, you have listed a specific room within the Centurion Lounge, but there’s a lot of missing context, e.g.
  • Access to the DEN Centurion requires one hold an Amex Centurion or Platinum Card
  • At peak times, Platinum cardholders may have to wait for access
  • The location of the lounge itself within the airport, given that DEN has multiple terminals

In short, I commend your efforts and recognize you’re doing it on your own time but I feel that the website could use some work (you may wish to consider using templates) to make it more accessible, and there’s also the matter of whether you may wish to add more content or more detailed content first before going into promoting it widely. In the marketing world, it's always suggested that one do their best to make a strong first impression to bring someone back, and right now, the website is not exactly doing that.

This is EXACTLY the kind of feedback that is critical, and several points you raised allow me to reinforce the reason for building this. I will note before responding that our goal is to document existing resources - some of the questions you ask reference some of the challenges for the Special Needs Community.

The name suggests it's a wiki but it looks like a standard website (e.g. not user editable)
Correct: TravelingWiki is built on a Wiki platform. Part of TravelingWiki's responsibility as a service provider linked on TSA.gov (which serves the public) is to footnote information and attempt to provide as current, accurate information as possible. Once those services (and other services) were provided, TravelingWiki realized (as an organization that has attempted to provide a service to the Special Needs community) that it could not guarantee the information in the same way if the Wiki community contribution capabilities was/were turned on. TravelingWiki takes the responsibility of being relied upon for travel decisions by The Special Needs Community very seriously. To that end, innovations (that are currently in a very nascent stage) are coming.

There's no navigation bar or index - everything seems to be based off the homepage
Innovations (that are currently in a very nascent stage) are coming. In fact, there is a call tonight generally related to this topic! To be clear, given the importance of accuracy and prudence, this will take significant time.

The first several pages (scrolling down) on the homepage is self-promotion, and only after scrolling through this for a while does one reach content
There is a very important reason for this structure that I can explain via messaging if this is an important point for you.

There doesn't appear to be alt text for the images
This is an important point. I will raise this during the upcoming call(s).

Listings for a given airport provide rather limited information. Consider DEN for an example, you have listed a specific room within the Centurion Lounge, but there’s a lot of missing context, e.g.
To be clear, TravelingWiki looks for resources labeled as potentially conducive to assisting the communities it serves. In some airports, the potential resources that have been found to date are in paid / CC-access areas. Do you know of another resource that should be added at that or any other airports? To be clear, TravelingWiki greatly values feedback and wants to add as many resources as possible for consideration.

Thank you again so much for your feedback / questions. TravelingWiki takes feedback very seriously; all work is done with a focus on providing a public service.