You Might See Sunflowers Inside Some Airports This Summer

Vacation time is coming, and boy, are we ready. After the long, cold winter here in Minnesota, we are due sometime in the sun, outside and enjoying nature. And for many people, their travel will include flying to their destination.  

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Especially during the summer months, airports are particularly busy with people buzzing around trying not to miss their flights. But, to say that airports can be tricky to navigate is an understatement. 

If you fly this summer, you will for sure see people who need help getting around being pushed in wheelchairs by airport personnel. For someone who has difficulty in walking or walking long distances, this option is very important.  

In addition to seeing folks getting assistance in a wheelchair, you may see folks wearing a lanyard with a sunflower on it. This isn’t a club of sunflower lovers heading to a convention, these lanyards actually represent something very important.  

The sunflower lanyards represent that the person wearing it has what is called a hidden disability, something that isn’t easily seen by another passenger or employee of the airport. 

This is important for employees in the airport to let them know that the person may need assistance understanding the flight boards or where to locate restrooms, food etc.  

But it also helps airport personnel to help spot these passengers to make sure they get boarded properly and at a time when they won’t be rushed or pressured to get on their flight.  

Hidden Disabilities Sunflowers website says that one in six people have a disability, that number figures to be around 1.3 billion people.  

There are currently only 12 airports around the country that recognize the sunflower program: 

Seattle-Tacoma International 

Denver International 

Charlotte-Douglas International Airport 

Newark Liberty International Airport 

Portland International Airport 

San Jose Mineta International Airport 

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport 

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport 

Miami International Airport 

Chicago O'Hare and Chicago Midway 

Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport 

And 

Boston Logan International Airport (which was just added to the list this month)

If you’re going to be traveling through any of these airports, keep in mind you may see these lanyards.  

The Sunflower was chosen because it suggest positivity, happiness and strength as well it can be clearly seen in a very busy airport.

As you probably noticed, the airport list above does not include Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport right now. For folks who have family members who face struggles that others can’t see, having the sunflower program is very important.  

Hopefully this program will be available at MSP and many other airports soon.