Last week, Adonis Roman, a 4-year-old on the autism spectrum, and his family were prohibited from boarding their Southwest Airlines flight to Boston because Adonis required accommodation, according to his mother, Jocelyn Roman.
Posting her family’s story on Facebook, Roman shared:
“The only accommodation we ask for is to board the plane before it gets too crazy,” Roman told The Mighty. “Typically right after the wheelchairs and supported walkers.” After being told to step aside, Roman tried to explain to the ticket agent why boarding early is imperative for her son. The agent repeatedly denied Roman and her family from boarding and asked for documentation and proof that her son is on the spectrum, Roman told FOX25.
As the Roman family waited, Adonis began getting anxious, rocking back and forth and stimming orally. “The attendant at this time called for back up via supervisor, security and deemed it necessary to have EMS evaluate my son for some sort of contagious illness.”
Emergency Medical Services quickly cleared Adonis, and once again, Roman attempted to explain her son’s needs to flight staff. “Instead the supervisor proudly told me that no accommodations would be made and due to my attitude my son would suffer and we would have to wait for the next flight,” Roman wrote in her Facebook post.
Eventually, Roman was able to talk to a manager, who apologized, but the family still missed their flight, forcing them to stay another night in St. Louis. Southwest payed for their hotel, offered $200 flight vouchers, and eventually reimbursed the St. Louis-to-Boston leg of their flight.
The company has since been apologetic, but Roman said there is more airline companies can do to support families on the autism spectrum. “Just
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