Senior Reporter
jesse.ramdeo@cnc3.co.tt
The Autism Society of T&T is offering sensitisation sessions and training for staff members at Caribbean Airlines following a recent incident which left a child with autism, rattled on a domestic flight.
In acknowledging aviation protocols, the organisation’s centre manager, Amoy Boodoo, advised that people with autism must be treated with a level of sensitivity on flights.
“There is clearly a need for all personnel to be sensitised about autism and the challenges they face daily. I think coming out of this story is a need for airlines and crew members to be able to use their discretion and treat each situation on its own merit and use their soft skills to treat people kinder and more compassionate,” Boodoo said.
Last Friday, Rishi Ramoutar, his wife, mother-in-law and three-year-old autistic daughter, Rayne, were all returning from Tobago on-board a Caribbean Airlines flight when their experience nose-dived.
During an interview with Guardian Media on Monday, Rishi Ramoutar recounted the harrowing incident. He said, “During the taxi to the runway she started getting irritable and she is smart enough to unbuckle the belt, so she unbuckled it and we already started to accelerate and that is when her grandmother saw that and was trying to put her back in the seat.”
Ramoutar explained the situation escalated when a flight attendant intervened.
“The assistance triggered a total meltdown where she just started to kick up and scream and at that point all she would want is comfort and her comfort is her grandmother hugging her up.”
As flight officials pushed back against the move, citing aviation protocols, Ramoutar admitted tempers flared as his daughter’s meltdown worsened.
“I did use some language that I shouldn’t have and I apologise for that, but at the time I was infuriated because we were trying to explain that she is autistic and that holding her down in her seat is not good for her mental health.”
According to the Civil Aviation Act, “A person shall not, while in an aircraft—(a) interfere with a crew member or passenger; (b) do any act that threatens the safety of the aircraft or of persons on board the aircraft; (c) use abusive language or insulting words towards a crew member or passenger; (d) intentionally interfere with the performance of duty by a crew member.”
Detailing the experience in a Facebook post, which has since gone viral, Ramoutar said the family’s ordeal continued even after the flight landed when they were met by law officials and threats of being blacklisted by the airline by officials He also explained that after his daughter’s traumatic incident, senior CAL officials contacted him and confirmed that an investigation into the matter would be launched.
Ramoutar has since called for a review of the airline’s policy to facilitate people with developmental disabilities. He said, “A lot of autistic parents reached out and thanked us for bringing this to light because it goes under the radar for so long, something needs to be done about this. We want our national airline to be equipped so this does not happen to anyone else.”
President of the Autistic Society of T&T Teresina Sieunarine noted that training was previously conducted by officials at the Airport Authority.
“It shows how important autism awareness and training is for all members of society and especially the crew/staff of public services such as airlines. As the parent suggested, some basic information should be available for passengers when they are booking a flight. It is suggested that they can contact the airline in advance and also prepare the child using strategies, for example, a social story, Sieunarine said.