Autism friendly travel: airports

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What each airport itself says it offers autistic passengers and people with hidden disabilities, from lanyards and pre-booked help to quiet rooms and practice visits.

Guides for this section

Autism support at UK airports, compared

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Offers

24 places

Airport · Aberdeen
Aberdeen International Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
- Practice visit
- +1
Aberdeen will post or hand out Sunflower lanyards and cards and can arrange a visit before you travel. It publishes a picture based journey guide and a children's airport guide.
Airport · Belfast
Belfast International Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
- Quieter route
Belfast International gives Sunflower lanyards at the OCS desk to passengers who have booked DPNA assistance with their airline. The lanyard brings extra time but not priority lanes.
Airport · Birmingham
Birmingham Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
- Quiet room
- +1
Birmingham asks Sunflower lanyard users to register at the Assisted Travel Reception before security, then offers an assistance lane and a staffed bypass of the duty free shop. A quiet Sunflower Room sits by Gate 47.
Airport · Bournemouth
Bournemouth Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
- Practice visit
Bournemouth does not run its own lanyard scheme but accepts passengers' own lanyards and cards. It offers tailored familiarisation tours for autistic passengers.
Airport · Bristol
Bristol Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
- Quiet room
Bristol offers a hidden disability lanyard, a discreet assistance card and a bookable sensory room after security. Its own news page reports a National Autistic Society autism friendly award from 2018.
Airport · Castle Donington
East Midlands Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
- Quiet room
- +1
East Midlands runs its own green lanyard scheme and also accepts Sunflower lanyards. It offers Try Before You Fly familiarisation visits during the year.
Airport · Edinburgh
Edinburgh Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Practice visit
- Visual guide
Edinburgh offers Sunflower lanyards or pins on the day and a downloadable airport journey story aimed at autistic travellers. Families can also book a familiarisation tour by email.
Airport · Exeter
Exeter Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
- Quiet room
- +2
Exeter offers an autism familiarisation tour, a quiet room and Sunflower lanyards from its Special Assistance Desk. A virtual tour and procedures video help you preview the airport.
Airport · Crawley
Gatwick Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Quiet room
- Autism award
Gatwick gives out a free hidden disability lanyard at its assistance desks and lists a sensory room among its facilities. It says it is recognised by the National Autistic Society as autism friendly.
Airport · Belfast
George Best Belfast City Airport
- Lanyard scheme
Belfast City offers a free hidden disability lanyard from its Disability Services desk on the day of travel. Its page gives little other detail for autistic passengers.
Airport · Paisley
Glasgow Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
- Practice visit
- +1
Glasgow publishes an autism visual guide and can arrange quiet pre-visits before you fly. Book assistance with your airline as DPNA and mention autism in the notes.
Airport · Prestwick
Glasgow Prestwick Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
- Practice visit
Prestwick offers Sunflower lanyards, stickers and wallets from its Information Centre. Familiarisation tours for hidden disabilities are available on request.
Airport · London
Heathrow Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Practice visit
- Visual guide
Heathrow hands out free Sunflower lanyards and sensory packs at its terminal assistance desks. Autistic and neurodivergent visitors can enter a ballot for a free practice tour of Terminal 5 with British Airways.
Airport · Inverness
Inverness Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
Inverness supports the Sunflower scheme with lanyards from the Information Desk. Its accessibility guide gives little detail beyond booking help 48 hours ahead.
Airport · St Peter
Jersey Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
Jersey is a corporate Sunflower member and gives lanyards or pins at the Assisted Travel Desk. Its page has no autism specific extras such as quiet rooms or tours.
Airport · Leeds
Leeds Bradford Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
- Quieter route
- +1
Leeds Bradford offers a hidden disability lanyard from staff by the main entrance and an autism guide made with Leeds Autism Services. The lanyard brings extra time and help but no fast track.
Airport · Liverpool
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Quiet room
- Quieter route
- +1
Liverpool runs a bookable sensory room with its assistance provider and supports the Sunflower scheme. Familiarisation tours are paused while the departure lounge is rebuilt.
Airport · Luton
London Luton Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
- Quiet room
- +1
Luton gives lanyard holders and their family free Fast Track security and has a quiet room next to Gate 17. Its hidden disability advice was produced with the National Autistic Society.
Airport · Stansted
London Stansted Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Quiet room
- Quieter route
Stansted takes part in the Sunflower scheme, with lanyards from Assistance Reception in Zone A. Its hidden disability page focuses mostly on dementia and does not mention autism directly.
Airport · Manchester
Manchester Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
- Quiet room
- +2
Manchester has a dedicated autism travel page and gives out free Sunflower lanyards at Assistance Reception on the day. Lanyard wearers can use priority security lanes and the assistance team can steer you round the busiest areas.
Airport · Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle International Airport
- Booked help
- Quiet room
Newcastle has a sensory area at Gate 31 and quieter seating at Gates 19 and 31 after security. Its hidden disability pages do not mention the Sunflower lanyard.
Airport · Norwich
Norwich Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
- Practice visit
- +1
Norwich offers free Sunflower lanyards and one to one pre-flight visits for autistic passengers. Online step by step route guides let you preview the terminal.
Airport · Southampton
Southampton Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Quieter route
Southampton has introduced Sunflower lanyards and a quieter route through the terminal for hidden disabilities. Its pages give little detail on how to collect a lanyard.
Airport · Darlington
Teesside International Airport
- Lanyard scheme
- Booked help
- Quieter route
Teesside is part of the Sunflower scheme and offers a quiet route from security to the departure lounge. Book help through your airline at least two days ahead.