AIBU to question sunflower lanyards for adults at airports?

How is a lanyard "open to abuse"?

You don't get special treatment for wearing one. It is literally to show people that you have a hidden disability.
It is not like a Blue Badge or Radar key.

One thing that hasn't been pointed out: wearing a lanyard can have disadvantages as well as advantages It not only alerts staff and honest passengers; it also can alert thieves, pickpockets and worse to the fact that someone is disabled and therefore possibly an easier target. Therefore I don't think that huge numbers of people will be wearing them unnecessarily.

As mentioned in my PP, people claim to have x, y and z so get away with not wearing a mask.

Please can I ask you something. Why do you care so much? It's not like you get a prize, or money? It basically means nothing. It's just a reasonable adjustment to highlight you might need support. I'm disabled and I don't care if an odd few ask for lanyards who don't technically qualify, medically, for them. It doesn't harm me. I actually prefer not to wear one as I don't love sharing my medical history with everyone.

Because people look at those on a lanyard and think " aahh there's another one" it's so high frequency people start to dismiss the need.

DP wears one as he is autistic. I have been with him on a train, and people talked to him like he was a small child. He is mid 50s.

The lanyard doesn’t show what kind of disability you have and how you need to be treated so creates a lot of room for people to make wrong assumptions and get it wrong

The sunflower lanyard was nothing to do with masks though. You could get masks with the sunflowers on from the same website the lanyards were from.

If you were unable to wear a mask, you did not need a lanyard. That was on the Gov website.

my Indian colleague arranged airport assistance for her mil as she finds it easier due to not speaking great English. Apparently all her friends do this. This I find an abuse of the system

https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/trending-news/story/long-qu

I wasn’t going to put a similar posting until a quote like yours came along. Must be about 50 plus.

How many took the assistance on exiting the plane?

I’m not struggling with any concept, thanks so much. I’m an intelligent woman with excellent critical thinking skills. I also happen, as the parent of two severely disabled children, to be hot on ableism. As a post-menopausal woman of two disabled children, I will never hesitate to call out anything I find patronising or offensive. Just don’t. Thank you.

The sunflower lanyard is abused.

During covid and mask mandatory times, the covid deniers/anti masks brigade had them to make them 'excused' from wearing masks. They came into my store stinking of weed, coming in groups of their friends when they weren't in their household, support bubble etc. Then said to the security guards that they have asthma.

Being asthmatic myself, I found that insulting as I wore a mask. I found types that were suitable for me. Those blue disposable masks are the worst for me.

If we ever go down a similar route again, lanyards or other identifying item should only be given by medical staff. Not available freely.

I also believe the assistance system at airports is abused too. My DM has assistance as she cannot do the walking and standing. She doesn't require a medical note. Some people use the assistance system to bypass the queues etc. But they don't realise that they are the last people to leave the plane when it lands. Also, depending on the numbers on the flight, airport and size of ambu-lift, the able members of the party may have to board/disembark with the rest of the plane. On the last flight I took with my parents, my DF and I were put onto the ambu-lift as should had 15 passengers to do assistance but only 9 were remaining when name calling. Suspecting the other 6 left on their own steam. The ambu-lift at Birmingham airport held 30 people.

Also these people who abuse the system may not know that they are causing delays. As I have spoken to a few of the assistance staff at UK and foreign airports. Some of the smaller airports may have only have 1 or 2 ambu-lifts and only hold 12 people. If a flight has 30 people requiring assistance, that means 3 trips with the ambu-lift. That time is not allocated.

It's time for medical notes to be required for airport assistance.

But what are you alerting them to?

Are you just telling them?

Because why do they need to know unless you need assistance?

Why do adults need sunflower lanyards at airports?
My SIL wears one as she says she can't cope..... when I asked her how she coped pre lanyards, she just said she did.

So if she coped then, why can't she cope now?

What does she think will happen at the airport? Surely adults can manage their own behaviour/actions and if they can't they shouldn't be travelling.

What does an adult wearing one, expect to happen at an airport?

Interesting. I am deaf and although I don't wear a lanyard, I do say that I am deaf and tick the 'assistance needed' box - although I don't actually need assistance - when booking a ticket because it ensures that the computer won't put me near an emergency exit. You have to be able to hear well enough to follow instructions from cabin crew in an emergency, if have a seat by the emergency doors. I once got moved at the last minute because of this.

You are struggling though with the concept of lanyard abuse so 🤷‍♀️.

I clicked on the link and it said sorry link not valid.

I’d genuinely be interested. Would you mind reposting if possible?

Thanks @Auburngal

there do seem to be more media articles about it - I found this and this.

https://www.onmanorama.com/travel/outside-kerala/2026/09/21/fake-wheelchair-passengers-india-flight-scams-us.amp.html

seems to be a particular issue with flights to and from India apparently.

India is now apparently allowing airlines to charge a fee for wheelchair assistance if the person does not have mental or physical disabilities but it doesn’t seem to have been tested yet. They are also requiring Assisstance passengers to get to the airport early (so have to wait longer and stops people booking it just to beat the queues)

https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/dgca-allows-airlines-to-charge-for-wheelchair-service-at-airports/

that’s not possible in America due to the ADA (Americans with disabilities act).

either way this is clearly way beyond a sunflower lanyward.

Interesting, aligns with my Indian colleague thinking it’s just normal to book it due to lack of English