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Thunder Bay International Airport

Thunder Bay Airport

Airport adds program to assist people with hidden disabilities

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The Thunder Bay International Airport is taking steps to be more inclusive for those with hidden disabilities.

The airport authority has announced it has partnered with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program, an international initiative that supports people with non-visible disabilities.

“The Sunflower Program started in 2016 at London Gatwick Airport,” says the airport’s director of business development and revenue management, Jackie MacDonald about the growing initiative. “Since 2016, it has grown into a globally-recognized symbol for individuals with non-visible or hidden disabilities.”

The program allows those with hidden disabilities to wear a lanyard displaying a sunflower that will voluntarily share that they may need a helping hand, understanding, navigating or more time at the airport.

“This can range from things such as autism, people dealing with chronic pain, they may have a brain injury,” says MacDonald, adding that also includes people with ADHD, dementia and hearing loss. “In terms of the airport, they could be traveling with anxiety. That’s a huge thing at airports.”

MacDonald says all relevant staff at Thunder Bay Airport have been trained to recognize the symbol and offer assistance to those wearing the sunflower lanyard in a respectful, understanding manner.

Lanyards are available now and can be picked up at the airport at the accessible check-in counter on the main floor of the terminal building or in administrative office on the third floor.

“For us, it’s all about the passenger experience,” says MacDonald. “We always want to make sure our passengers have a positive experience when traveling through our airport.”

Thunder Bay Airport upgrades render

Thunder Bay International Airport making upgrades

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Thunder Bay’s airport will begin installing new check-in counters on Monday.

Work on the new counters will happen overnight and is expected to take approximately two months.

Once the new counters are ready, the airport will begin upgrading the technology used at its counters, replacing it with new common-use technology.

“We recognize space availability wasn’t the best for any new entrants coming to Thunder Bay,” says Jackie MacDonald, Director of Business Development and Revenue Management for the airport.

MacDonald is referring to new airlines, rather than passengers: the airport’s old technology required pairing individual airlines with their own check-in spaces in the airport, creating an inflexible model with little room for new carriers.

The new common-use technology should be installed by February 2026. Once added, MacDonald believes the airport will be more attractive to new carriers.

“With common-use technology, it’s kind of like any carrier can flex up or down in their operation,” MacDonald explains.

MacDonald also believes that with the new technology, passengers will be processed more efficiently, hopefully producing shorter wait times.

Upgrading check-in counters and systems has been an objective of the airport since before the pandemic.

The upgrades were finally brought about thanks in part to a $100,000 investment from the Tourism and Development Fund of Thunder Bay’s Community Economic Development Commission.

As part of the upgrades, the new check-in counters will feature Indigenous artwork produced by Open Mind Interiors and their sister company Minwabi Interiors.

“We really wanted to reflect the character and the warmth of northwestern Ontario,” MacDonald says.

Indigenous artwork will be featured on the airport’s new check-in counters. (Via the Thunder Bay International Airport)

Smaller upgrades are also being worked on, including the airport’s first accessible check-in counter for mobility aid and wheelchair users, which will be lower to the ground.