As part of its commitment to creating a more accessible travel experience, Avianca has joined the global Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, training more than 3,100 operational employees to assist passengers with hidden disabilities.

The initiative aims to promote inclusion, acceptance and understanding by allowing travelers to discreetly and voluntarily wear the sunflower lanyard, a symbol indicating they may need extra time or assistance during their journey. Thanks to this training, nearly 60% of Avianca’s operational team is equipped to recognize the lanyard, understand its purpose and provide empathetic, respectful support.

The Sunflower lanyard does not confer priority service; rather, it serves as a tool to promote understanding for travelers with hidden disabilities (which can include physical, mental or neurological conditions that are not immediately obvious from the outside). Its use is entirely voluntary and can be requested at participating airports or Avianca’s Special Assistance counters.

During the training process, Avianca’s teams learned about different types of intellectual and psychosocial disabilities, as well as neurodivergence, along with inclusive communication strategies, crisis management and ways to support accompanying family members or caregivers. 

This initiative builds on other efforts aimed at improving accessibility and the travel experience, such as “El Dorado a tu Ritmo” (a tu ritmo meaning “at your own pace”), a program at Bogotá’s airport that also promotes more inclusive and empathetic spaces.