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For some, the journey and transport to a destination is an exciting and positive part of the overall holiday or trip experience and something to look forward to.

From packing for a new adventure to arriving at an airport, passengers are plunged into a busy hive of people departing and arriving from around the world. There is the inevitable buzz of many people moving purposefully though interconnecting areas, surrounded at the fringes by views of planes coming and going – with plenty to do while you await your flight departure, topped with the excitement of an impending holiday or trip.

There is often a spectrum of enticing merchandise to explore, a wide variety of food and beverages to relish and the draw of a bargain in duty-free shopping, plus the option to watch planes take off and land. All of this happens alongside the happy anticipation about an approaching holiday or a warm reunion and welcome from family, friends or colleagues. Sadly, this is not the experience everyone has.

For some, any journey can feel terrifyingly complex and unpredictable, with the potential for discomfort and distress.

The busy airport so enjoyed by some can induce anxiety and dread in others, with its potential to bombard the senses, offering no respite or escape from being immersed in bright lighting, crowds and noise, overwhelming the senses and consuming energy – sometimes to the point of shut down or melt down.

Such an experience can be very common when hyper or extreme sensitivity is experienced through one or more of the senses. Hypersensitivity is an everyday challenge for around 70% of people with neurodivergent conditions (such as ADHD, Autism and many more) as well as some people with vestibular/balance conditions, sight or hearing loss. It can also be exacerbated temporarily by common hormonal changes such as pregnancy and menopause, or develop due to a neurological condition such as Parkinsons, dementia and even long COVID.

This feeling of overwhelm from the built environment can be a strong deterrent for travelling anyway – and can make air travel especially difficult and distressing. 

I was pleased to be invited to speak at the about neurodiversity and sensory comfort in aviation buildings, informed by knowledge gained as technical author for This is the first national standard covering this topic, where I learned first-hand from working with an insightful steering group of experts with lived and professional experience for nearly two years prior to its publication in 2022. Since that time, we have carried out many projects applying the recommendations and contributed to technical writing and research on this topic.

The principles set out in PAS6463 are applicable to any building but are especially important in places where there is little opportunity to avoid them, such as transport, healthcare and education.

In aviation in particular, the large scale of the environment is significant, making adaptation more complex. The experience can be wildly different depending upon personal circumstances and the size and design of the airport.

For example, when quiet even a very large airport environment may be manageable. But when busy, wayfinding and sightlines are affected, and it often becomes very difficult to predict sudden crowding and noise levels triggered by unplanned circumstances such as delayed or cancelled flights. This applies to both small and large airports. 

There are quite detailed engineering, design and management elements to consider and these are set out in PAS6463 and other emerging guidance. For simplicity, these can be grouped under three umbrellas which combined offer the opportunity to give users some control over the environment around them.

For example, advance information and preview of a space can allow choices to be made on how to navigate differently through to a destination space (such as boarding), or the option of finding somewhere for restorative purposes for a short time before departure.

I give examples below on how thinking about these three umbrellas, which I call my ‘three Cs’ (Clarity, Choice and Control) when making design and management decisions, can really help both designers and operators of airports to work towards achieving a neuro and sensory inclusive environment and experience:

Clarity

• Good sightlines and preview of spaces before entering;
• Clear signage and spatial consideration for busy times;
• Predictable, comfortable spaces that are easy to navigate.

Choice

• Options on where to sit or dwell while waiting, including some seats that offer prospect and refuge;
• Zoning to offer areas that are busy and stimulating, or quieter;
• User controlled lighting over some seats;
• Alternative routes to boarding to avoid going through busy duty-free areas;
• Potential for remote access to duty free shopping.

Calm

• Areas with muted colours, low reflection and warmer lighting;
• Quieter nooks and recesses to sit back from the bustle around you;
• Purpose designed, single user quiet retreat/reset rooms for every stage of the journey.

In following the above principles (and the more detailed recommendations set out in PAS6463), travellers are able to gain some control of the environment around them. This directly impacts the user experiences in such a positive way that in many cases it will allow them to thrive and enjoy travel, rather than endure or avoid it.

Such considerations are long overdue – for decades we have looked at and designed for spatial and reach dimensions for our physical mobility and strength. We now need to consider how the environment around us also impacts our wellbeing and capacity for thought, emotion and behaviour so that no one is left behind.

To continue the conversation about design and management decisions that can achieve a neuro and sensory inclusive environment and experience in airports, please get in touch.

Footnote:

PAS6463 was produced with input from an excellent steering group of experts with lived and professional experience and had comprehensive public consultation and feedback.

Since 2022, º£½ÇÊÓƵ has contributed to the following guides and are continuing to influence how the built environment achieves neuro inclusion, including sponsorship of the new Civic Trust Award for Neuro inclusive environments.

• Sensory mapping white paper;