Quito Airport Celebrates One Year as Part of Sunflower and Strengthens its Accessibility Culture
Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport is celebrating its first year as part of the international Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, an initiative that allows people with non-visible disabilities to voluntarily and discreetly identify themselves with a neckband featuring sunflowers.
The distinctive neckband, which is provided free of charge at the airport, allows staff to communicate that a person may require more time, clearer explanations, or support during certain moments of their journey. Since the program’s implementation in August 2025, 621 passengers have requested and received their Sunflower neckband.
The initiative originated at Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom and is now part of an international network encompassing more than 325 airports and 31 airlines, according to official information from Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.
The incorporation of Sunflower represents another step in the work that Quito Airport has been developing to consolidate a culture of accessibility. In 2024, it achieved Level 1 of the ACI Airport Accessibility Accreditation and, in January 2026, obtained Level 2, becoming the first airport in Ecuador to do so.
A Committed Airport Community
One of the program’s pillars has been the involvement of the companies and institutions that make up the airport community. Airlines, public entities, concessionaires, and service companies have access to materials to keep their teams trained on the operation of Sunflower and how to assist those who use the distinctive symbol.
Additionally, Quiport holds an annual training session for new members of the airport community. In 2026, approximately 140 employees from different companies participated in this session, reinforcing their knowledge about non-visible disabilities and the Sunflower program.
“The 621 neck braces distributed during this first year represent people who found a simple way to communicate a need that isn’t always visible. Sunflower demonstrates that accessibility is built in every interaction and that the commitment of the entire airport community is fundamental to offering a more understanding, respectful, and inclusive travel experience,” said Ramón Miró, President and CEO of Quiport.
On the program’s first anniversary, Quiport thanks the entire airport community for its participation and commitment. The implementation of Sunflower has shown that advancing accessibility requires not only infrastructure and processes, but also awareness, knowledge, and a different way of understanding the needs of each passenger.
Quiport will continue to strengthen this work together with the organizations that operate at the airport to continue building an increasingly accessible and inclusive travel experience.
🌻Learn more about the program here: https://www.aeropuertoquito.aero/aeropuerto-de-quito-se-une-al-programa-sunflower-para-ofrecer-una-atencion-mas-inclusiva-a-pasajeros-con-discapacidades-no-visibles/