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-   -   Best way to tackle immigration... (https://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1159494)

Lpf 29 Jan 20 04:39 PM

Best way to tackle immigration...
 
Ds9 is autistic. Passes for neurotypical quite easily but at the flip of a switch can become aggressive, violent and a bolting risk... less so now as he’s in a specialist school who are really helping him but still a risk.

Anyway, we land in Miami at 8pm local time and I’m really worried about how to handle the immigration hall. He’ll be tired anyway which makes everything worse but he’s no good in stuffy, noisy, sensory overload rooms and if waiting in a queue, he become extremely fidgety and agitated without a clear time put on the wait. I’m worried he might flip and become violent (probably just to us) and then we’ll all get thrown in a room or something similarly awful as he does pass for NT easily (not always).

He’ll have his sunflower lanyard on (as long as he keeps it in on!) but I want to make this as easy as possible for him as he’ll be devastated if he falls apart. Can you get special assistance to speed things up or get you a time for how long you have to wait? We will contact BA but just need a sense of what is even possible. Thanks.

chmurf 30 Jan 20 08:51 AM

contact both your airline, and the MIA airport for instructions

sunflower lanyard will make little to no difference in MIA as far as my experience is concerned. So don't expect attention in the US. If someone notices that will be the exception not the norm

just arrange beforehand, so do contact both airline and airport, because policies and procedures change all the time.

Bootrip2 2 Feb 20 09:09 PM

If you email MCO from their website they say you can go to special line, last time we went through with the air crew line. You need to give them details of flight etc, hearing this is still going is reassuring as i was nearly going to go via JFK as their special assistance was excellent last year.

nadya 2 Feb 20 09:29 PM

I agree with chmurf contact both airline and airport,mco has been helpful for us with 2 boys with asd who sound a lot like your ds,not had any experience of miami though sorry.At mco we were met off the plane with a card with our surname on it,escorted through with air crew,and then waited with and helped with luggage, the lady we had was excellent .We were through so quickly,our luggage was not there yet even though we had been last off the plane!

daytonababe 6 Feb 20 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bootrip2 (Post 14270072)
If you email MCO from their website they say you can go to special line, last time we went through with the air crew line. You need to give them details of flight etc, hearing this is still going is reassuring as i was nearly going to go via JFK as their special assistance was excellent last year.

She’s flying into Miami


We have no special needs but did fly into Miami recently and I’ll admit I am in no hurry to do so again

We had a long walk from the plane , then you catch the monorail thing followed by another local walk .

People told me immigration was quick there , the queue was long ..

I was connecting through but it took us almost 2 hrs from exiting the plane To getting luggage

Staff were some of the most unhelpful I’ve come across in American airports

Tinkermom 6 Feb 20 10:48 AM

Don’t panic! We’ve flown into Miami on more than a few occasions and two of our children have additional needs. We’ve always approached a member of staff on arrival and explained our boys needs, they have always been incredibly helpful and directed us through quickly and without fuss.

Lpf 6 Feb 20 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinkermom (Post 14275376)
Don’t panic! We’ve flown into Miami on more than a few occasions and two of our children have additional needs. We’ve always approached a member of staff on arrival and explained our boys needs, they have always been incredibly helpful and directed us through quickly and without fuss.

Brilliant - thank you!

Tinkermom 8 Feb 20 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lpf (Post 14275931)
Brilliant - thank you!

No problem :) have a fabulous time :thumbs-up

jollys 9 Feb 20 10:41 PM

i have no experience of mia airport but our daughter is autistic and we find that getting her a wheelchair at the airports (she doesn't use/need a wheelchair any other time) really helps with her anxiety and stress levels. and as others have said if made aware we've found staff at various airports very helpful and understanding
Have a good holiday :)


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