A Smoother Journey

The hidden disabilities sunflower lanyard

Last week I travelled to the Gold Coast for a week away to rest, restore and explore for inspiration. The trip involved return flights between Adelaide to Gold Coast.

This was my first chance to use my Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard at the airports. For those unfamiliar, the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower 🌻is a program that offers individuals a discreet method to show they have a hidden disability. Wearing the sunflower allows them to be identified by trained customer service staff as potentially needing help to navigate the environment.

I'd never used my lanyard whilst travelling before, so I was keen to see what changes in my experience that it would provide. I wasn't disappointed and it made navigating the airports so much easier for me. As a deaf person, I often don't hear or understand the announcements or instructions of airport staff. Wearing the lanyard meant that I got a little more compassion from customer service staff and some assistance with boarding my flight.

If you have a hidden disability, you might want to get a lanyard for yourself. Yesterday, on my flight home, I met another person wearing a lanyard, and it was her first time using one too. We both valued the additional support, which significantly reduced the anxiety we usually experience while traveling. It can truly be transformative.

Many thanks for your exceptional service to Adelaide Airport Limited, Gold Coast Airport, and Jetstar Airways. Your staff's ability to recognize this lanyard and respond with inclusion, care, and compassion greatly enhanced my trip.