Dallas Fort Worth International Airport — the third-busiest commercial airport in the world — also wants to be known as one of the most compassionate.

“We’re trying to create that next phase of the personalized journey for all customers, including people with varying abilities,” said Maruchy Cantu, DFW’s executive vice president of administration.

To achieve this, Cantu’s team is taking a multi-pronged approach, launched last year.

Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, known by the sunflower-emblazoned lanyard, was started in 2016 at Gatwick airport in London, allowing individuals to voluntarily share that they have a disability or condition that may not be immediately apparent, and might need a helping hand, understanding, or more time. This program has since been adopted around the world by companies across industries, including DFW International. In about one year of operation, more than 2,000 lanyards have been issued.

“We average about 100 requests per month,” said Candra Schatz, DFW’s Assistant Vice President for Safety and Leave Administration. “But it fluctuates seasonally. Last June, for example, we sent out 500.”

Free of charge and mailed directly to passengers’ homes, the sunflower lanyard signals to airport staff that the person wearing it may have difficulty getting where they need to go because of a cognitive, auditory, speech, or other non-apparent difference.

Photo: Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

“I think of my son, Dylan,” Schatz said. “He’s severely autistic, but you look at him and think, that’s a young man. You don’t think he may not be able to get the help he needs.”

For non-verbal people in particular, the accompanying plastic card that comes with the lanyard can be another key to success in an airport environment. The card identifies the person’s difference, so that a staff member knows how to provide assistance.

A holistic approach

Leaning into accessibility is imperative for the airport. That’s why, in addition to the Sunflower Program, DFW has an inclusion and accessibility committee that suggests areas of improvement. Its first recommendation? Do your homework.

“We understand that we can’t be everything to everyone, but we’re listening to the community to ensure that we are serving the needs of the traveling public,” said Schatz.

For example, airport staff knows the importance of continual training with frontline team members, airline ambassadors, and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers.

“Training is about being aware and keeping empathy top of mind, as well as understanding that all travelers may not communicate in the expected way,” said Catrina Gilbert, Vice President of Enterprise Risk Management.

Another area they’re focused on at DFW is sensory rooms in which people can decompress if they get overwhelmed by auditory or visual distractions. Cantu says the challenge is where to put them in an airport like DFW, which has five terminals, each with multiple security access points into the terminal gate area. While a convenience for the average traveler, it creates a challenge in identifying common space for these rooms to support the campus as a whole. 

Her team is also thinking through proximity to pet relief areas, for people traveling with service animals. Demand for space is high, and Cantu says they need to think strategically to get this right. She’s also taking note of how other airports are exploring their own accommodations for travelers with different needs. 

“We’re working really hard to make sure we’re creating solutions to address travelers’ pain points in a way that can remove friction from their travel experience,” Gilbert said.

While it will take time to work out logistics, space to build sensory rooms has already been committed. The team hopes the first couple of rooms will be ready for use in early 2026.

“And in addition to our external-facing programs, we added our eighth Employee Resource Group, ABLE, last October,” Schatz said.

ABLE, or Accessible Barrier-free Life for Everyone, supports employees who have disabilities as well as employees who are in a caregiving role for someone with disabilities. This group will also help the business identify organization-wide solutions to attract talent from segments of the community that are historically overlooked. As of early 2025, 50 employees joined the resource group at DFW.

Photo: Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

Good for the bottom line

Delivering more personalized solutions through multiple platforms to show consideration of all people’s abilities is just good business. And as DFW demonstrates, it doesn’t have to happen all at once. When an organization implements strategic changes based on research, it makes them more than a public relations tactic. And this kind of authenticity can set you apart from industry peers.

According to the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower website, more than 90 percent of lanyard wearers are more likely to visit a store that is part of the network.

Whether it’s a global program or a company-specific initiative, taking steps to represent the disability community — estimated at 1.3 billion people worldwide — is not just nice to do. It’s critical to stay competitive.

Voices contributor Nicole Ward is a data journalist for the Dallas Regional Chamber.

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