Passengers traveling through the Dominican Republic’s busiest air hub will soon gain a new, discreet tool to access personalized support, as local airport operator Aerodom partners with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower organization to roll out the sunflower lanyard initiative in the coming weeks.
A subsidiary of global airport infrastructure leader VINCI Airports, Aerodom is bringing a proven, widely adopted accessibility program to Las Américas International Airport (AILA) in Santo Domingo. The scheme, already active at more than 240 airports across the globe, fills a critical gap for millions of travelers living with non-visible disabilities. Conditions including autism spectrum disorder, epilepsy, chronic anxiety, and other mental health conditions often do not present obvious outward signs, leaving many travelers hesitant to ask for help or explain their specific needs. The sunflower lanyard acts as a quiet, universal signal that a passenger may require extra assistance, eliminating the need for them to disclose personal medical details to access support.
Under the terms of the new partnership, the lanyards will be available completely free of charge at AILA’s dedicated passenger assistance desk. Critically, no medical documentation or formal diagnosis will be required to obtain a lanyard, removing unnecessary barriers for travelers who need the program’s support. In addition to distributing the lanyards, Aerodom has committed to rolling out comprehensive training for all frontline airport staff, third-party service partners, and on-site operators. The training will focus on equipping personnel to recognize the lanyard and provide appropriate, respectful support that aligns with each traveler’s needs.
The sunflower lanyard initiative is not an isolated accessibility effort, but rather a core addition to Aerodom’s ongoing, company-wide accessibility strategy that aligns with parent company VINCI Airports’ global inclusion standards. This new program also complements the major expansion project currently underway at AILA, the Dominican Republic’s busiest and most important international entry point. The expansion, centered on the construction of an all-new terminal, is designed to boost the airport’s overall passenger capacity and upgrade passenger services across the board for all travelers in the years ahead.