People with dyslexia and ADHD are being allowed to skip airport queues, despite not having to prove they’ve been diagnosed with the conditions.
Those with ‘hidden disabilities’ are posting online about their supposed perks, showing themselves sitting in VIP lounges sipping Champagne.
They show themselves wearing sunflower lanyards to use a ‘special check-in desk’ and priority boarding where they are seated on near-empty planes.
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme is designed as a ‘discreet’ signal for people with ‘non-visible’ conditions to indicate that they need extra support while out in public.
It is currently recognised by more than 300 airports and 31 airlines worldwide, including British Airways, Ryanair, and EasyJet.
People can buy the lanyards online for £6 without any proof of having a condition.
Some cards say ‘I am autistic’, or ‘I have ADHD’. Another says ‘I have anxiety’ and on the back reads: ‘I may be nervous or overwhelmed and find it difficult to communicate.
‘I may have physical symptoms such as trouble breathing, dizziness or sickness. Please be patient, talk calmly and ask how you can help me.’
A bride-to-be received backlash on Instagram after posting a video on the social media platform showing her using the lanyard for the first time
A bride-to-be received backlash on Instagram after posting a video on the social media platform showing her using the lanyard for the first time.
She was boarding a Virgin Atlantic flight to Montana for her wedding. Her video shows her journey through the airport, which she said she finds ‘tricky’ due to the ‘noises being overstimulating’ and being fearful of losing her luggage.
‘I really felt like the lanyard gave staff more consideration towards me and I didn’t need to mask much,’ she said.
The video then cuts to her sipping Champagne, which she called her ‘sedation’, and being given a tour of the cockpit.
But the make-up artist admitted she felt ‘really embarrassed’ and like a ‘fraud’ as she hadn’t had her autism diagnosis yet.
‘But that’s really good to know as you can wear it [the lanyard] anyway. You don’t have to prove anything,’ she added.
She said in her post that she ‘didn’t use the lanyard to skip queues or access any additional support. I wore it simply to make staff aware that if I seemed a little overwhelmed or “off”, it may be due to my ADHD and autistic traits’.
However, some parents of disabled children questioned her using the lanyard with one saying: ‘My son cannot talk, he’s in nappies and he bites himself when he’s stressed. You and him are not the same… And even we as a family don’t think we are extreme enough to warrant this.’
Another person with ADHD said they ‘have never and will ever use it as an excuse to get special treatment and attention’.
But she countered that ‘waiting lists for diagnosis are extremely long right now. I’m not claiming anything, I’m trying to share my experience and help people who might be feeling the same while they’re waiting for support’.
A video posted on TikTok by someone diagnosed with dyslexia said the lanyard ‘definitely made my airport navigation easier’.
She was boarding an Emirates flight at Heathrow and said her condition meant she finds the experience ‘overwhelming’ and often misses flights because she gets lost as ‘there is too much navigating’.
The traveller praised the airline for having a dedicated check-in desk, which meant she didn’t have to queue for long.
‘Most importantly, they are letting you board the plane with priority boarding and first [class] and business,’ she said.
‘This meant that when I got on I could take my time, get ready, put myself in my seat, and not worry about the hustle and bustle of everybody else getting on the plane with me.’
A Reddit thread titled ‘Helpful tip – Tell your airline you have ADHD!’ outlined all the perks one passenger got after booking with Jet2 and telling the airline they had an allergy and took ADHD medication.
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme is designed as a ‘discreet’ signal for people with ‘non-visible’ conditions to indicate that they need extra support while out in public
Those with ‘hidden disabilities’ are posting online about their supposed perks, which includes priority boarding
They wrote: ‘Jet2 called us to find out more about my allergy. While on the phone she asked about any medication I take, which is a long list, but included my ADHD meds.
‘She then got very excited and told me that in most UK airports, and definitely with Jet2 flights, ADHD is covered as a ‘hidden disability’ and comes with a bunch of extra accommodations for free!
‘We got our seats pre-selected, sat together. Priority boarding and disembarking. Free access to a lounge and free meals on board for both of us (not for all flights, but ours was long enough to get this).
‘She also said some airlines/airports will give you an extra bag too (we didn’t need this but she told me to ask in future).
‘So a worthwhile tip – if you’re flying and you have ADHD.. TELL THEM!!’
It comes after the Daily Mail reported in April that 20,000 people a month are referred for assessments for ADHD.
The Mail has contacted the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme for comment.
