'Sickfluencers' teach Britons with dyslexia how to get into airport VIP lounges with £6 lanyards

Social media influencers - dubbed "sickfluencers" - are teaching their followers how to use £6 sunflower lanyards to bypass airport queues and access various travel perks.

The "Hidden Disabilities Sunflower" scheme was created as a subtle way for those with certain conditions to signal they might need additional assistance in public spaces.

Over 300 airports and 31 airlines around the world recognise the scheme, with British Airways, Ryanair and easyJet among the carriers on board.

The lanyards can be purchased online for £6 or collected free of charge at certain airports.

No proof of disability appears to be required to obtain one, which has sparked concerns over potential misuse.

Various cards are available with different messages, including "I am autistic" and "I have ADHD".

One card states "I have anxiety" with text on the reverse explaining: "I may be nervous or overwhelmed and find it difficult to communicate. I may have physical symptoms such as trouble breathing, dizziness or sickness. Please be patient, talk calmly and ask how you can help me."

Many people with hidden disabilities appreciate the lanyards for making busy or overwhelming situations more manageable.

However, some "content creators" have attracted criticism for how they've been promoting the scheme online.

The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower organisation has maintained that the lanyards help neurodivergent individuals travel with "greater confidence, dignity and independence".

They've also stressed that wearing one doesn't automatically entitle anyone to skip queues.

One TikTokker presented the lanyards as a method for those with ADHD to "skip all queues" and "travel in the VIP lane" at airports.

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"A little tip for anyone with a disability like ADHD or something like that," he said.

"You can get a sunflower lanyard and they let you through all the check-ins first, priority, like business class. So you don't have to wait in queues for hours and hours."

Another TikTok user who says they have ADHD shared how the lanyard helped them get "fast-tracked" through security at Manchester Airport.

A different influencer thanked Dubai Airport for granting him lounge access while wearing the lanyard.

"'Most importantly, they are letting you board the plane with priority boarding and first [class] and business," she said.

"This meant that when I got on I could take my time, get ready, put myself in my seat, and not worry about the hustle and bustle of everybody else getting on the plane with me."

A spokesman for the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme said: "The Sunflower itself does not guarantee access to airport lounges, upgrades, priority boarding or fast-track services.

"Any support arrangements are entirely at the discretion of individual airports, airlines and transport operators under their own accessibility policies.

"Many non-visible disabilities, conditions and chronic illnesses can have a very real impact on how people experience travel. For some individuals, crowded and stimulating environments can be difficult to manage.

"We also recognise that not every person with a non-visible disability will have a formal diagnosis. In some cases, diagnosis can take years.

"The Sunflower exists to encourage empathy, patience and respectful support without making people feel forced to publicly disclose personal medical details."

They also noted that not everyone with a hidden disability will have a formal diagnosis, with some waiting years for assessment.

Around 20,000 people monthly are now being referred for ADHD assessments, creating waiting times of eight years or longer.

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