How airport sensory rooms offer a calm space, especially for neurodiverse travellers
Sensory rooms at airports are areas of calm to counter the stress and overstimulation of travel, particularly for those with special needs
Airports are a world of bustle, with people thundering about dragging suitcases, non-stop announcements and an overwhelming amount of information to digest.
Air travel is particularly stressful for the neurodiverse, with a significant chance of sensory overload, especially for people with ASD (autism spectrum disorder).
That has prompted a growing number of airports to provide sensory rooms, dedicated areas of calm to help ease some of the stress of travel.
From the US airports of Pittsburgh and Seattle to Dublin, Ireland, the trend suggests passengers value such oases.
Pittsburgh International Airport says its sensory room, Presley’s Place, “offers a calming space for families to relax”.
San Francisco airport has also opened a similar facility. The space is open to everyone but was designed specifically for travellers who are neurodiverse – meaning their brains work differently to the norm, and including those with ASD and other sensory processing disorders – and their families.
