We are delighted to announce that British Airways has today become the first UK airline to officially recognise the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower. As well as being supported at over 130 airports globally, people with non-visible disabilities wearing the Sunflower will now be supported on British Airways flights. This a significant step in our goal for Sunflower wearers to be confident to travel independently knowing that they will be supported when they need to be.
The initiative forms part of British Airways’ continued efforts to make travel simple and easy for customers with additional assistance needs. Customers can choose to wear a Sunflower lanyard as an indication that they may require additional support, assistance or simply a little more time while travelling.
Increasing the awareness of non-visible disabilities across the airline and promoting the Sunflower will contribute to enhancing the customer experience for British Airways customers. British Airways' training modules will now include our bespoke training videos so that the airline’s colleagues have access to them. Our training provides an understanding of what an invisible disability is and how to become more confident to approach and support customers wearing a Sunflower lanyard.
Welcoming the new partnership, Tom Stevens, British Airways’ Director of Brand and Customer Experience, said:
“Almost half a million customers who require additional assistance fly with British Airways each year. We’re proud to be the first UK airline to partner with Hidden Disabilities Sunflower and are committed to doing everything we can to support customers who may need additional assistance as part of our BA Better World programme, so they can have the best possible experience when travelling with us.”
More information on the range of services offered by British Airways for customers with additional accessibility needs can be found here.
Please note, images were taken before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.