Shannon Airport introduce tapitags to help raise awareness of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower programme

Pamela Brooks, Head of Operations at The Shannon Airport Group , Mary Considine, CEO The Shannon Airport Group, and Ruth Rabét, Global Business Director, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower launch Shannon Airport introducing the tapitags. Pic Arthur Ellis

Shannon Airport is the first organisation in Ireland to introduce tapitags to help raise awareness of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower programme

Shannon Airport has proudly joined the global Hidden Disabilities Sunflower initiative to support more than half a million people in Ireland living with non-visible disabilities.

Passengers travelling through Shannon Airport can now avail of a free Sunflower lanyard to indicate that they have a non-visible disability and would appreciate an offer of support. The airport team and the wider airport community underwent specialist training to recognise the Sunflower and provide time, understanding and assistance to those wearing it.

Shannon Airport has become the first organisation in Ireland to introduce tapitags to raise awareness of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower programme. The airport has introduced 15 tapitag points at locations throughout the terminal building where people can scan a QR code on their phone to learn more about the programme and other supports available at the airport.

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The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is the latest in a series of initiatives to make the travel experience through the airport as seamless and inclusive as possible.

 Shannon Airport was the first airport in Europe to open a sensory room in 2017 for passengers with additional and neurodivergent needs. It has since been utilised by thousands of passengers. Shannon was also one of only two airports in the world to be granted Age-Friendly status by the World Health Organisation in 2022, in recognition of its efforts to make the airport journey more accessible for people of all ages. Measures introduced as part of this initiative include age-friendly parking, additional signage and covered walkways from the airport car parks and aircraft to the terminal building.

Commenting, Pamela Brooks, Head of Operations at The Shannon Airport Group said, “Like the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower team, we firmly believe that travel is for everyone, so we are very proud to officially become members of this incredible international network, dedicated to making the process of navigating public spaces such as airports, more accessible for people with hidden disabilities. The Sunflower Lanyards are available free of charge at our Airport Services Desk.

“Over the past few months, our team has participated in training and worked hard to ensure that we can implement the Sunflower across our operations as effectively as possible. Shannon is on track to reach the two million passengers mark this year for the first time since 2009, and as we continue to welcome more and more people from all over Ireland and indeed the globe, initiatives such as the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower will be vital in assisting us with making the travel experience as easy and enjoyable for every customer that comes through our doors.”

Ruth Rabét, Global Business Director, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, said, “Disabled people make up one in seven of the Irish population and 80% have an invisible disability. This means over half a million people in Ireland have a non-visible disability. We are excited to announce that Shannon Airport has become the newest airport to join the global Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network.

“Adopting the Sunflower and implementing our training for its staff improves accessibility for passengers with invisible disabilities. As Sunflower wearers travel through Shannon Airport, airport staff will recognise them with an offer of support, understanding, and empathy to provide an inclusive and stress-free journey”.

This October is also an exciting time for Shannon Airport as the staff gears up to welcome over 42,000 passengers taking to the skies over the October Bank Holiday period.

The end of October traditionally marks the start of the airport’s winter schedule, and passengers flying from Shannon can avail of increased capacity on five of the 17 Ryanair services this winter, with the airline adding an extra 30,000 seats over its winter schedule, a 5% increase on the previous year.

CEO of The Shannon Airport Group, Mary Considine said: “Our passenger numbers at Shannon Airport are up 7% year-to-date, and we are really looking forward to welcoming over 42,000 passengers during the October Halloween break.

“Our team have been working tirelessly to improve the airport experience and that is why, in addition to our existing supports, we have just joined the global Hidden Disabilities Sunflower programme to enhance the airport experience for all customers.

“We’re proud to be ranked as Ireland’s top airport for customer satisfaction in the recent CXi Insights report. More and more passengers from across the country are discovering how convenient it is to fly from Shannon.

“Whether passengers are heading off on a Halloween holiday or arriving for business or pleasure, we’re dedicated to making their journey enjoyable from the moment they step into the airport. The holiday starts here.”