The Sensory Room. Photo: Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) continues to expand its services for passengers with special needs, launching the Sensory Corner, an innovative sensory corner for people with invisible disabilities. The first of its kind at a Hong Kong airport, it is available free of charge to all passengers who need it.
Located in Terminal 1, the space was designed in collaboration with professional organizations, people with disabilities, and their families. Its goal is to provide a calm and safe space for passengers who may experience sensory overload from the hustle, noise, and lighting typical of the airport environment.
Hong Kong Airport. Photo: Shutterstock
The sensory corner covers an area of approximately 30 square meters and includes padded walls and floors, adjustable lighting, and a variety of interactive installations that provide visual, auditory, and tactile stimulation. In addition, a unique complex was established that simulates an airplane cabin, with the aim of allowing children and adults to get used to the flight environment before boarding the plane and reducing anxiety.
The initiative has been praised by families of children on the autistic spectrum. One parent said that the opportunity to wait in a calm place and expose the child to the cabin environment in advance helps make the flight experience more pleasant and simpler.
Hong Kong Airport emphasizes that the initiative reflects its commitment to making the travel experience accessible to the general public, and hopes that it will serve as a model for other airports and organizations around the world to follow. The use of the sensory corner is open to any passenger who needs it, without the need for advance booking or presentation of medical documents, as part of a concept of accessibility, inclusion and equality for all travelers.