Aruba Airport is an official member of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Network.

This is part of the airport's ongoing efforts to create an inclusive and supportive environment for its employees, passengers, and other users.

Currently, one in six of the world's inhabitants lives with some form of disability, which amounts to about 1.3 billion people. Some restrictions are visible, others are hidden, or a combination of both. These conditions can be temporary, occupational, situational, or permanent; including neurological, cognitive, and neurodevelopmental disorders, among others. The global Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network enables employees to recognize individuals with the official Sunflower cord and ask how they can support them to meet their access needs, making the invisible visible.

The official Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program was launched on Friday, October 25, 2024, during the International Invisible Disability Awareness Week, with a small ceremony at AUA Airport in the presence of Mrs. Maureen de Mooy-Schreuder, Ambassador of the Netherlands & Belgium, the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower team, Mrs. Carolina Thiel-Span, president of the Aruba Autism Foundation (FAA) and advocate of the Sunflower,  Ms. Sary Wernet-Kelly, Rehabilitation Therapist at the Foundation for the Visually Impaired (FAVI), AAA's Health and Sustainability Team, colleagues and the airport community. The ceremony included speeches on behalf of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program team, FAA, AAA, concluding with the placement of the first official Hidden Disabilities Sunflower sticker at the security checkpoint by Byron Lesire and Kay Quandus, both ambassadors for the Aruba Autism Foundation. Marking this special occasion, employees and passengers were given sunflower cookies as part of the official launch.

In the run-up to the launch, in September and October 2024, approximately 200 employees, including security personnel, concessionaires, customer service representatives, and others involved in operations at the airport, received awareness training to familiarize themselves with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program. The staff have been informed on how to respectfully and efficiently help every visitor feel welcome.

For more information about the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, visit their website.