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when he was smaller we would take an inflatable ball for him to play with while waiting at the gate.. we would go early to avoid problems at security. and find an empty gate to play in.. as he got older he took a skipping rope. we had playdough in our bag., a book.. coloring books and crayons.. cars , he is obsessed with cars.. so he always had a few to play with.. I made a small map and laminated it for him to use on the meal tray.. we took our own snacks .. that was a must.
we had no problems at all... nothing wrong with an inflatable ball.. playdough is not a liquid and they never said anything about the rope..
The ball was deflated. we blew it up once we got through and at an empty gate.. and then let the air out when getting on the plane.. and yes everything went through the Xray machine.. We live in WA but took everything through both SeaTac and LAX. Melbourne airport.. also have travelled with these items through Portland and Santa Ana and Long Beach and never had any problems.. The only times I have been stopped for bag checks was for my back when they thought I had a swiss army credit card style knife and they spent 15 minutes looking for it and got very annoyed when they couldn't.. seeing as I didn't even know what it was I would have been very surprised if they have found what they thought they saw.. other than that I have never had any trouble taking anything through customs.. or TSA lines.. and this is all over the last 10 years
There is nothing on the TSA website that says you cant take skipping rope onto a plane with you
They were very understanding and informed the pilot and crew members ahead of time. Thankfully, we avoided a meltdown.
Are you with other people and any chance flying SW? My son has Ds and autism. He flys at least once a year and does very well. We also fly SW because we can board first. By doing so we always sit in the very front row with him next to the window and my other son or husband behind him because he rocks sometimes. Whoever sits behind us keeps his bag under their seat since you aren't aloud a bag in the front row. He has more leg room and is close to the bathroom.
A lot great ideas here but you need to decide what will work for you and have a plan in place for how you will handle any situation that arises (nervousness, tantrum, crying, won't stay seated). Chances are he's going to be just fine
NOT ALL electronics may be kept on during take off ...only smaller sized ones. Just keep that in mind.First of all, even though your son is "non verbal" don't assume he "doesn't understand." Both of my sons are autistic and if I've learned one thing in the past 12 years it is to always presume competence and understanding, even when the child cannot communicate that understanding.
Social stories will help. Make one using lots of pictures of the steps to taking a plane trip. Get photos of airline check in counters/kiosks, luggage scales, escalators, parking lot trams, trains/monorails, the gate area, security checkpoint, the jetway,the inside of a plane, the airplane seats, tray tables, flight attendants, the bathrooms, baggage claim, etc. Make a picture book and read it with him several times a day. Keep it with you on the day of, so you can turn the pages as you reach each part. He will absorb that information and will have familiarity with the process.
If you can, take a trip to the airport and show him the parts that you can see without going through the security checkpoint.
Watch videos on You Tube about air travel. There are a bunch about the process of taking a plane trip.
Buy a highly motivating toy and give it to him as soon as you are able to. If he likes electronics,have them charged and ready to go immediately upon boarding. You can now leave them ON during takeoff. If he watches movies on a tablet, have a few loaded and bring headphones.
Bring a stuffed animal or favorite blanket for security during the flight. Bring favorite snacks or candies that take a long time to eat.
Bring a pad of drawing paper and some crayons. We liked crayola Twistables at that age for airplanes.
2 hours is really nothing. It will probably fly by.
If you think it is necessary, inform the gate crew about your son and see if there is anything they can do to make the process easier. You may get an early boarding pass. One time, I had to let them know that my son was prone to meltdowns but that I would be able to calm him down if that happened so PLEASE do not butt in or kick us off the plane!
