DAL is showing more “Love” to passengers with hidden disabilities
To offer a more inclusive experience for all travelers, Dallas Love Field is proud to announce its membership in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, making it the third airport in the state and first in North Texas to launch the service.
The internationally recognized program is a discreet way for individuals to indicate that they have a disability and may need special assistance, additional time, or even space. The programs Sunflower lanyards are available for free at the main information booth located near the TSA security checkpoint and Bruegger’s Bagels.
For anyone, airports can be a highly stressful environment. From the crowds and noise levels to the long walks from curbs to gates, navigating through a terminal presents challenges. For someone who has a disability, that experience can be significantly tougher. Up to one in four adults in the United States has some type of disability and about 10% of those are invisible disabilities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Interim Director of Aviation, Patrick Carreno says:
“It’s extremely important to give everyone an opportunity to feel heard and seen. For individuals with disabilities, both hidden and apparent, DAL hopes to make it easier and more enjoyable to utilize air travel services with this program. If there is a way we can help our passengers better navigate the airport or even empower them to be more independent, we want to do that for them.”
While the airport has offered standard special assistance services to passengers in the past, this program promotes awareness amongst stakeholders about needs that may not fit into a standard offering. In addition to providing Sunflower lanyards, DAL offers unique accessibility services such as oversized changing tables and Aira – a visual interpreting service. While these services do not equate to expedited security screening, it is the airport’s goal to better support its guests’ needs.
For more information on accessibility services, visit DAL’s accessibility webpage, or call the 24/7 Airport Operations Center at (+001) 214 671 5683.
Is your organisation a member of the Sunflower network?
Is your place of work Sunflower friendly? If not, why not suggest they look into becoming members of the Sunflower? We provide training and assistance to help businesses recognise the Sunflower to support individuals with non-visible disabilities and become confident in providing them with additional help or assistance.
Join an impressive network of organisations so our Sunflower wearers can find you as they plan their days out:
- add your location to the Sunflower location map
- provide details useful for Sunflower-friendly visits
- demonstrate how accessible you are
- tell your story through articles
- and even reveal your Sunflower-friendly events
Become a member of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network.