Striving to remove barriers that prevent us from building Vibrant, Diverse, Inclusive, Accessible Communities!
Editor’s Note: Can you identify the systemic ableism that creates the very problem a Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard or badge is meant to “fix”? Focus on how default policies, design choices, or staff behavior cause barriers in the process — and name the concrete changes that would eliminate those problems for People with Disabilities, rather than relying on afterthought identifiers like lanyards.
Condé Nast Traveller surveys the Sunflower Lanyard’s first decade and asks how airports and airlines are advancing neuro-inclusive travel for neurodivergent passengers, framing airports as both gateways and, for many, stressful barriers.
The piece recounts the lanyard’s 2016 launch at London Gatwick as a voluntary signal for non-visible disabilities, intended to prompt patience and assistance from staff alongside training that builds awareness and empathetic responses.
Voices from travellers and advocates describe mixed outcomes: praise for supportive encounters and recognitions at airports such as London Gatwick and London Luton, but also reports since the pandemic of ableist interactions and uneven follow-through despite broad uptake of the scheme across hundreds of airports and dozens of airlines.
Looking beyond the lanyard, the article highlights wider measures—clearer information and signposting, consistent staff training between airlines and airports, early boarding options, quiet lounges and sensory spaces—and notes concrete examples including practice-flight days, autism-certified operations, and UK airports with sensory rooms as signals of a slow but hopeful shift toward neuro-inclusive travel.
Read the Full Article: The Sunflower Lanyard, 10 years on: how the travel industry is supporting neurodivergent travellers
By: Allie Mason
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