British Airways has today become the first UK airline to officially recognise the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower. Customers can choose to wear a Sunflower lanyard as an indication that they may require additional support, assistance or simply a little more time while travelling. The initiative forms part of the airline’s continued efforts to make travel simple and easy for customers with additional assistance needs.
The airline’s new partnership with Hidden Disabilities Sunflower will see the organisation’s bespoke, high-quality videos embedded into British Airways’ training modules. British Airways colleagues will also have access to specialised videos via the airline’s staff intranet. This training will provide colleagues with an understanding of what an invisible disability is and how to become more confident to approach and support customers wearing a Sunflower lanyard.
Increasing the awareness of non-visible disabilities across the airline and promoting the Sunflower will contribute to enhancing the customer experience for British Airways customers. Those that travel with the airline can be confident that they will receive the support, assistance and understanding they require throughout their journey.
Welcoming the new partnership, Tom Stevens, British Airways’ Director of Brand and Customer Experience, said:
“Almost half a million customers who require additional assistance fly with British Airways each year.
We’re proud to be the first UK airline to partner with Hidden Disabilities Sunflower and are committed to doing everything we can to support customers who may need additional assistance as part of our BA Better World programme, so they can have the best possible experience when travelling with us.”