Airplanes and Aspies

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I usually avoid travel because I hate the thought of being stuck in such close proximity to so many people for an extended period. Plus my seat mates ALWAYS want to talk....being forced to sit beside someone who wants to talk and having no escape whatsoever..../shudder.

However, I recently acquired a whole new worst case scenario: Octomom in Airplane Dispute
....being stuck in a small cabin on an airplane with 12 screaming kids. Kristen Johnston is my new heroine.

Seriously, I actually had a nightmare about that last night. I thought that having to let TSA agents grope my genitals was bad enough when I can't stand anyone within 3 foot of me much less touching me....but combine that with 12 kids in one cabin....Just shoot me now.

I'm never travelling by air again.

I flew once 4 years ago with my parents. We went to Florida to see my grandparents (mom's parents) yes there were screaming kids and crying! It was Spring Break and the little kids were going to Disney World. I didn't wanna go at the time because I hated crowds and people but I got a lot better with that now. Anyway I actually enjoyed flying but got scared of a plane crash and flying over the ocean scared me so I closed the shade. 4 months later I saw the movie Snakes on a Plane and then I got scared lol!

i've never been in a airplane

I have and I don't really mind them, to be honest.

I don't mind flying. I even enjoy it in some situations (though sadly, much air travel has become rather difficult to enjoy these days).

I dislike "organized" crowds (e.g. crowds of spectators) but "disorganized" crowds like in airports or train stations don't bother me.

Bringing headphones and reading material and avoiding eye contact with others (not a problem for most autists, surely ) are good strategies for avoiding talking to people.

I love flying. Who cares who is sitting next to you when you have such a beautiful view out the window. It's worth it just to hear the roar of the jet engines and the acceleration from 0 to 200+ mph in less than a minute.

I enjoy flying. I always have.

I love flying.

No, flying, not riding (yes I've done it legally).

Oh come on, I can't be the only aspie who hates flying, screaming kids, and being fondled by tsa agents? Does no one else fly long distance?

I can put up with flying now because I do it twice a year. I don't like it at all but I just try and distract myself with something completely and not think about it. However when I was a child I couldn't stand flying. I remember going once and the air pressure hurt my ears so much that I literally just couldn't bear it. :/ It's not like that anymore, though, which is strange. Although the air pressure is uncomfortable it doesn't hurt.

That does't mean I'm the greatest fan of flying, though

Personally I love to fly, I enjoy the g-force of the takeoff and the relative peace and quiet on most flights...

A good prep for the flight is good entertainment, bring along an MP3 player, stuff to read and/or a laptop. If there's a kind of in-flight entertainment, you can use that too. Basically anything that works as a distraction. The most conversation i've ever had on a plane (appart from speaking to stewardesses etc.) was my seat mate asking about the local time at the destination.

Don't be afraid of TSA agents, as long as you act normal and follow the guidelines, the most "fondling" will involve them waving the stick sensor around for about 5-10 seconds

It's not a high priority for me but I think it would be fun to try sometime. In the meantime I am content with being a passenger.


I'm sure you're not, actually I'm surprised to see how many of us seem to like it!

For me flying as an act (as in, being in the air, in an airplane -- not the experience of modern commercial air travel specifically) is actually really enjoyable. I've loved it since I was a kid (I've been flying since I was < 1) and airplanes have been a nearly lifelong interest. The overall experience of commercial air travel these days can be taxing but I don't find it overwhelmingly so. It would take a lot for me to stop, especially because it's the only convenient means of long-distance travel.


I had the same problem when I was a kid too, and I still liked flying... Yes, I'm weird! (Or was.)

I don't have it as an adult either, though. I guess it stopped being a problem in my early teens or so. I assume it has something to do with changes in the shape/size of our ears as we grow.

I'd take flying over any other sort of transport.
Granted, I've only flown was a couple of times with work (British Airways) down to London, I had co-workers with me, they let me sit by the window and they made the trips a lot more fun by making boob jokes and trying to scare the other passengers with real-life stories about the IT illiteracy of aircraft engineers, so they made it easier to deal with. I think on a longer flight or without anything to distract me I'd be less bothered by other people and more bothered by the lack of freedom in movement.

It's airports I can't manage.
I have no idea how to navigate them as there's no clear instructions on where to go, there are too many people going in all different directions, and the rules about travelling by air now are too complex for me to keep up with so I get scared of getting caught-up with security (on one of the above mentioned trips I had to go through serious security checks to go air-side...I forgot about a pair of nail scissors in my make-up bag, as you could guess that did not go down well). Only any good if I have a knowledgeable person with me.

Last edited by Bloodheart on 11 Jul 2011, 10:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

The only time I've been on an airplane is traveling with my family.....and I've WISHED to sit by strangers then.

For the people who want to talk, I heard this on a tv show but, bring a coloring book and start coloring with crayons....if that doesn't work, color outside the lines....if that doesn't work and they start asking you what you are coloring say "rage, homicidal rage".

I love it when u first take off! That was a fun feeling!! Speeding down the runway before u leave the ground!!

Maybe I'm atypical, but I find flying calming and inspiring. Nothing surpasses the beauty of seeing nothing but miles upon miles of mountains, dusted in snow and shrouded in cloud. I am a huge atlas nerd, and I love seeing the places I read about from an aerial perspective.