Gatwick opens sensory room

A sensory room offering a relaxing, private and fully-interactive environment to calm passengers who may feel overwhelmed in busy and unfamiliar airport surroundings has been opened at Gatwick in a first for a UK airport.

The space in the North Terminal has been designed for passengers with autism, dementia, cognitive impairment or other special needs who would benefit from a designated place to help them feel at ease before flights.

Passengers using the room have the option to transform it from a calming and relaxing environment to a stimulating interactive space full of light and sound with just the flick of a switch.

The ‘chill-out zone’ for calmness includes floor cushions, bean bags and digital display panels generating colourful visual wall features. The separate ‘interactive zone’ stimulates the senses through tactile panels, textures and a game to improve memory, motor skills and encourages learning.

The free-to-use room is available to departing passengers and their families or carers who can book a 45min session at the North Terminal’s special assistance desk after clearing security.

The development is part of a new airline lounge style area which opened earlier this year for passengers who require special assistance – one of the biggest of its kind in any European airport (BTN 28 July).

www.gatwickairport.com

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