AIBU to question sunflower lanyards for adults at airports?

Are you referring to everyone with a disability/lanyard as a sunflower? Because that would be rather rude.

Airport assistance staff are literally there for the disabled passengers. It’s what they do all day every day.

I dunno if they work with 500 disabled people over a shift but it wouldn’t surprise me.

i usually try to chat to them (sometimes they hang around to wait) if my language allows (learnt some good french and Spanish swearing that way) and often they have a family member with disabilities and want to help disabled people be able to get around.

they’ve always been incredibly professional and helpful.

What evidence do you have that they are being abused? How would you know as the disabilities are hidden?

Well there you go, there is something wrong with them ...they would have trouble acting for the general good a useful thing to be aware of in an evacuation etc...they do this by choice others might not be able to comply

If you look at the form that needs to be filled in you would know that it covers a lot of conditions.

For most people a flight is a once a year (in each direction) experience, and the only one where the consequences of being late are very significant. Be late in a car, you end up the same number of minutes late. Be late for a train or bus (for those who use them, a minority), probably one at most an hour later. Be late at an airport, you miss the flight and none probably even the same day.

Then you have the frequent changes of policy and systems, mainly Ryanair it seems to trick you into an extra charge, but not just them.

No wonder many people struggle who would not do so in other situations. Airports and airlines could take simple steps to reduce the stress it causes to many. If you prefer a printed boarding pass, you should be able to have one, for example.

I do agree about misuse by some.

It isn't about assistance though which you seem a bit focused on, it is for others so they are aware the wearer might need a bit of extra time or space or whatever !

Usually for people who question people who "look" fine.

Obviously. Although how well they continue to do that will be up for debate. You’re most certainly going to get less kindness and understanding from the general public in the airport moving forward. That’s inevitable once every man and his dog now has some form of special need, and will be wearing a 🌻 as part of their perfomative, autistic identity.

I sometimes travel with someone that uses a lanyard - they don't need special assistance, because they are with me (they couldn't travel solo). So it isn't used to get benefits.

They wear them because they have autism and frankly, when they get overwhelmed they are a bit weird, and that is their own words.

To calm themselves they offen hum or recite a poem/read out loud, flap their hands, often facing a wall- people in general are concerned when they see the behaviour but are reassured when they see the lanyard.

I am also curious to know who a lanyard can be abused?
They have been compared to Blue Badges and Radar keys on here. Both of those are for a very specific purpose... the hidden disabilites lanyard is not.

What is your point? I shouldn’t wear one?

What they mean to airport staff abroad is that you need assistance.

if you land at an airport where English is not widely spoken and the aircrew dump you in an airport wheelchair and park you in a random place and you know you’ve got a connecting flight and need your wheelchair, waving the lanyard at the staff will get you taken to the assistance desk.

it’s got me out of trouble a few times.

Before schemes like the sunflower lanyard, someone might have had to explain their needs repeatedly, or staff simply wouldn't realise that a person needed additional assistance.The lanyard is a shortcut for communication.

So you want less for others? I've taken people with severe mental ill health and learning disabilities on their first foreign holiday in their 60s and the lanyard is a useful DIGNIFIED communication.

Why want less for others?

Is that the disability access card?
My son has one of those.
We had to upload proof of his disabilities, which should please this lot.

I am not referring to people with genuine needs. Genuine being the key word. The misuse and abuse of these lanyards is on the rise. There are people on this thread saying that doesn’t take away from their disability etc, but ultimately, if we do have people abusing lanyards, and we most certainly do - that doesn’t help people with genuine disabilities.

This is bullshit.

people who need assistance book Assisstance.

the assistance desks give the lanyards out for ducks sake.

I agree, they were being very silly. One of them in particular said she didn’t want to explain that she didn’t believe in mask wearing every time and found it easier to wave the lanyard about.

My sister wears a flower lanyard with all sorts of laminated things attached to it. For her it's attention seeking as she doesn't actually have any additional needs. She has diagnosed herself with all sorts. It's people like her that take away from the people that need it.

That is why my DP wears one too. He is autistic (diagnosed), and he can also act "off" when overwhelmed.

No. This thread is discussing sunflower lanyards. The ones you can buy for a fiver from Amazon. No idea why you think that’s bullshit.

Well that's just a diatribe of prejudice.

How about being grateful not to need one? Minding your own business is always a good place to start.

@Postjurywoes you do have to book special assistance and proof disability to actually get assistance and join the shorter assistance queue. You have to check in at the assistance desk when you arrive at the airport than you are handed a special card to clip on the lanyard, without said card the flower lanyard in useless. Well this is how it is at Birmingham International Airport and every airport we have departed from on our return. The airline staff have a list of people for the return flight and then they collect you from the special assistance desk, it really isn’t as simple as put a lanyard on and get special treatment.

My friend has one she has had specific cancer and needs to use the disabled toilet and also can't queue for too long sometimes, she looks very healthy though and I imagine people would judge her without a lanyard.

lol well it’s not like people in wheelchairs get any kind of manners or politeness from most able bodied people anyway so what level of rudeness and aggression do we have to look forward to now?

oh look, that disabled woman who can’t walk is wearing a sunflower lanyward, we hate sunflower lanyards don’t we Geoffrey let’s go and spit on her.