Vienna Airport and Austrian Airlines have joined the global Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network and visual impairment aid, Aria App, to enhance its barrier-free access for passengers and make their services more accessible. Passengers with invisible disabilities can call attention to their needs by wearing a lanyard, badge or bracelet in the Sunflower design available at information counters and on board Austrian Airlines flights. Vienna Airport and Austrian Airlines staff have received hidden disabilities training to recognise and support Sunflower wearers.
Not all disabilities are always apparent at first glance, and the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower was created to help people with invisible disabilities. By wearing a lanyard, bracelet or pin featuring the Sunflower design, the wearer can indicate that they have a hidden disability. For Vienna Airport and Austrian Airlines staff in direct contact with passengers, the Sunflower signals that its wearer might require additional support, understanding or a little more time. The lanyards and pins are now available for passengers at the information counters in Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. On Austrian Airlines flights, bracelets and pins are available on board.
Conceived initially at London Gatwick Airport in the UK, the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower has since been adopted by thousands of businesses across a wide range of sectors. In the aviation sector, over 220 airports across the globe are already participating alongside 12 airlines, including Ryanair, Turkish Airlines and British Airways.
Julian Jäger, Joint CEO and COO of Vienna Airport, said:
“Accessibility and inclusion are important issues at Vienna Airport. For this reason, we are continuously implementing new measures so that people with reduced mobility or invisible disabilities can have an easy and relaxed air travel experience. All travellers will ultimately benefit from these measures because greater accessibility also contributes to higher quality service for all passengers.”
Michael Trestl, CCO of Austrian Airlines, said:
“Inclusion is a top priority for Austrian Airlines, both for our passengers as well as our employees. In collaboration with Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, we succeeded in creating an environment for individual needs which includes every person. By wearing the Sunflower, it is now possible to discretely point out disabilities which are not visible. In this way we can offer optimal support to our passengers and contribute towards ensuring a relaxed journey,”
Paul White, CEO, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, said:
“We applaud Vienna Airport’s approach to accessibility by embedding the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower alongside the Aira App for people with visual impairments. Airports can be overwhelming, so any steps to remove barriers to make the environment disability inclusive will significantly, and positively, impact passengers with non-visible disabilities.”
*Barrier-free travel at Vienna Airport
Vienna Airport offers a range of services for people with reduced mobility and non-visible impairments, such as a personal assistance service from check-in to departure. Furthermore, Vienna Airport offers barrier-free parking spaces for free at all terminals and the arrival hall for pick-up and drop-off. Marked parking spaces are available for longer stays at a 50% discount. If necessary, specially equipped minibuses will bring passengers with reduced mobility safely and quickly to the aircraft or to the terminal. The airport also guarantees shorter waiting times at check-in, security checks, and the gate.
Learn more about barrier-free access at Vienna Airport by visiting their website.
Learn more about accessible travel with Austrian Airlines by visiting their website.
*True at the time of publishing September 2023. Please refer to Vienna Airport's website for up-to-date information.