Aruba. Sounds like a dream right? Wasn't the case for a family from Toms River, New Jersey.

They were stranded on the island after being removed from their United Airlines flight.

Jamie Green, says her teenage son who has autism got scared while boarding their flight home.

She says that he was having sensory overload and started to act out and that's when the captain asked them to leave. The family cooperated. But finding another way home was not easy. Jamie Green is joining us this morning to explain how the family finally got home and what she's hoping comes from her experience. Good to see you this morning, Jamie Appreciate it. So this was supposed to be a week of sun and fun in Aruba, but it took quite a turn.

When you were trying to board back on the plane headed back to America.

Yeah, We decided to take a family vacation. We had a beautiful week in Aruba.

And then boarding that plane, He had some sensory overload issues.

He kept trying to go into the bathroom, kind of to regulate himself.

It's a small closed space, there's no windows.

You know, we tried the best we could to get him to settle down.

And that's when the captain said, you know that we can't fly this at this moment.

The last thing that we wanted to do was cause any kind of disturbance to anybody.

But I think we kind of naively got off thinking that there will be a way home and there wasn't, it took a long time. Well, before we get to that part, So he what was he doing exactly the plane because I'm sure a lot of people who are thinking Wow, how did you get asked to, you know, Get off a plane. It must have been pretty serious.

Was he just going back and forth in the aisle or exactly what's happening.

So he was okay, waiting in the airport terminal.

As soon as we went to go board the plane, he kind of Stopped and he took a step back.

But we were able to kind of gently nudge him on.

We didn't think that there would be an issue at all.

We got onto the plane and He was he was He was screaming toilet.

He's nonverbal, but he will say words. He was saying, toilet, We kept bringing him back and forth to then toilet when it was time to sit down and actually put on your seatbelts because we were gonna take off.

He was headbutting myself. He was pinching. He was screaming. Like I said, we understood why we were taken off the plane at that moment.

So there was a lot of commotion to flight attendants came over to you. And they said What? They offered, Can we give you chips? Can we get you a drink? Is there anything that we can do?

One of the stuff, flight attendants said I remember you guys. We took you down here and he was fine. He was great. And I said, I know you know, we're really sorry. We just really We really kept apologizing. Because that's a situation that we never thought that we would be, and he's never behaved like that in public. He's never behaved like that towards us. We It's just a situation that we never thought we would be in. No, it's difficult when you're dealing low functioning nonverbal.

Do you know what may have triggered his actions on the plane? Looking back on it now, I do feel like it was probably a lot of sensory overload. Him going back and forth to that bathroom, I think was just to kind of regulate himself. Yeah, There is no sensory inclusion on a plane at all. And that's part of what you're hoping to make people aware of you said. There's certain things that maybe maybe it's training or things that may be. Airlines should have to offer for families who have Children who are dealing with autism or who are non verbal. Yeah I mean, looking back on it now.

You know, we got on that carnival Cruise. And they handed us a bag had fidget toys in it. It had noise canceling earphones for you. Sorry Sorry. I just want to make sure people understand the story.

So you were asking it off the plane and you had to find a way to get back home and ended up in those a series of things that you were trying to make happen. You ended up getting on a cruise right to

go back. To Miami and then you have to go from there back to New Jersey. So that's why you're mentioning Carnival Cruise Correct. Correct? Yeah, I just want to keep everybody up.

Yeah So, you know, there were things that were done when we got onto the cruise.

And Looking looking at it now Flying is definitely definitely not sensory, inclusive at all.

I mean, just simple. Things may be getting on when there's no you know, boarding beforehand when there is no other other people on the plane. Maybe getting boarded into a dimly lit cabin. You know, maybe a sensory room in the airport before we even get onto the plane, the kind of regulate Although all those sensory overloads, um I feel like there's things that can be done.

So that it doesn't get to that point. And I know there were a number of resources that helps you out connect with Carnival. And then once you got stateside to take the road trip back up here to Toms River, but you're not upset at the airline.

I'm not upset for them taking us off. I mean, like I said, we understood. It was a safety issue.

At that point, I'm just upset that there's not more Sensory inclusion to fly in general.

I don't fault them. But there definitely could be something that that can be done. To make it to make an inclusive for everybody. Have you talked with the airline at all about this? Or have you suggested maybe two different airlines or the many conversation about that? I have not talked to the airlines. No but this is something to talk about.

I mean, it's part of the reason why we're doing this segment so people can be aware and we do have a statement from United Airlines.

And they say that safety is our number one priority, and no members of this traveling party were banned by

United. We offered alternative flights, the customers decided on their own to find alternative means to travel home. That would best accommodate them. So that is a statement from United Airlines about this, but we hope that, Everything is okay now, and it certainly sounds like it was a learning experience that Elijah is okay. I know it wasn't his first flight, but hopefully he'll be able to travel again with the family.

Thank you. Conv