Harry Reid International Airport will begin participating in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program in hopes to offer travelers with nonvisible disabilities a better travel experience, the airport announced in a news release.  

“Airports can be overwhelming environments,” James Chrisley, Clark County Director of Aviation, said in a statement. “As the gateway to everything for Southern Nevada, we have a responsibility to ensure every traveler feels supported.” 

The Sunflower program is a global initiative that started at England’s London Gatwick Airport in 2016 and calls for the use of a green sunflower lanyard as a discreet way to signal that a traveler may be diagnosed with a nonvisible disability and may need assistance — whether physical support or even just extra patience.  

It expanded into the United States in 2020 and is now used in over 95 countries, including in at least 340 airports and 31 airlines, according to data from the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower website.  

An estimated 1.3 billion people – or 1in 6 people globally – experience some sort of significant disability, according to the World Health Organization.  

Some have apparent, physical disabilities, while others have nonvisible or a combination of nonapparent and visible disabilities.  

Nonvisible disabilities can range from neurological, cognitive and neurodevelopmental conditions to sensory and processing, physical, visual and auditory difficulties. Chronic health conditions, like arthritis, chronic pain, sleep disorders and respiratory illnesses can also be considered nonapparent disabilities.  

A traveler wearing the program’s green sunflower-patterned lanyard can signal to employees at Harry Reid International Airport that they have a hidden disability. Airport staff wearing special sunflower pins have received specialized training to offer additional assistance when needed, airport officials said.  

Airport officials noted that these lanyards do not provide priority access or expedited screening through the TSA security lines, but they do help airport staff “better understand when a traveler may benefit from additional time or assistance.”  

There are no eligibility requirements to request or wear a sunflower lanyard. Travelers can pick up a lanyard free of charge at information counters throughout the airport.  

Nevada residents preparing to fly through Harry Reid International Airport can also request a sunflower lanyard be mailed to them at no cost before their trip by completing the online request form at: https://www.cognitoforms.com/ClarkCountyDepartmentOfAviation/SunflowerLanyardRequest  

“By embracing the Sunflower program, we’re reinforcing that commitment as a gateway that cares. This initiative reflects our larger mission to make LAS a place where every traveler feels welcomed and confident throughout their journey,” Chrisley stated.