Special assistance at Edinburgh Airport: what to expect
Travelling through Edinburgh Airport with a neurodivergent child can feel overwhelming — from noise and crowds to queues and unpredictable waiting times.
Using special assistance can completely change that experience. This guide explains exactly how the service works, how to book it, and what actually helps on the day — so you can travel with far less stress.
Quick wins for special assistance at Edinburgh Airport:
- Request special assistance at least 48 hours before travel – through your airline and the PRM Assist app
- Go straight to the assistance desk on arrival to avoid busy areas
- Use the Sunflower lanyard to signal hidden disabilities – you can pick one up at the airport’s special assistance desk
- Allow extra time — delays in assistance can happen
- Be specific about your child’s needs when booking (learn about the disability codes used in aviation and what exactly they mean)
Who can use special assistance at Edinburgh Airport
Special assistance is not just for physical disabilities. It also covers hidden or less-visible needs, including autism, sensory processing difficulties, anxiety and communication differences.
How to book special assistance at Edinburgh Airport (and when to arrive)
If you need full assistance (for example, help through security or to the gate), you should request this through your airline at least 48 hours before travel. Even if you are not booking full assistance, arrive early. Extra time gives you space to regulate, take breaks and move at your child’s pace.
Booking/Contact: Call +44 (0)131 344 3449 or email specialassistance@edinburghairport.com
Special assistance at UK airports is protected under law, meaning this support must be provided free of charge when requested. The Civil Aviation Authority aims to ensure disabled passengers have fair access to air travel and that disabled passenger air travel rights are upheld. They have dedicated guidance for airlines and airports to follow which lay out exactly how they are expected to comply with the laws. If you want more of an idea of the experience of other disabled passengers using accessibility services at the airport you can find it in the Civil Aviation Authority airport accessibility reports.
Hidden disabilities support at Edinburgh Airport
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard at Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport participates in the Sunflower Lanyard scheme. This allows your child (or you) to wear a lanyard or badge to signal to staff that they may need extra time, patience or understanding without having to explain. If your child has non-visible needs, the Sunflower lanyard can make a big difference, and these other disability cards for the UK might be appropriate for your travels too.
At the Special Assistance Reception you can pick up an Edinburgh Airport x Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard. This lanyard is slightly different then the standard lanyard (which is still perfectly fine to use) because it has a small white section with the airport name in it. The Special Assistance Reception can be found next to the Zone D check-in doors (signposted “Special Assistance”).
Guides and social stories
The airport also provides easy-read guides and social stories, which can be incredibly helpful for preparing children in advance. You can download the social story from their website, scroll down the linked page past the part about lanyards and pins and you’ll find it.
Quiet room
Edinburgh Airport now allows anyone who needs it to access the quiet room at the airport (I believe it was previously for prayer only). It is a simple, small room with a few chairs and some things on the walls that kids can play with. There is plenty of floor space to bring in a pushchair or your luggage.
To get in the room, you have to use the buzzer thing beside the door outside and someone on the other end will then open the room for you. From the inside it opens and closes as often as you want. The windows on the door are blackened from the outside so people cannot look in, but from the inside you can see out.
To find the quiet room, turn left when you leave Duty Free. Follow the lane on the left of the airport along past the water fountains and the four shops on your left until you pass Edinburgh Gift Emporium. This is where you will see a break in the storefronts and there will now be signs for the toilets. The quiet room is down this hallway and to the right of the women’s bathroom. If you prefer a visual map, this map of Edinburgh Airport will help and can be downloaded and save or printed. You’ll find the quiet room in the “After Security” section.
Facilities & support available with special assistance at Edinburgh Airport
Special Assistance Reception
There are help points and assistance desks throughout the airport, but the best one to check in at is the Special Assistance Reception before you head into departures and through security. The main special assistance desk (reception) is outside the airport building beside Sainsburys.
Edinburgh Airport offers this airport map on their website. I think that the map shows the old special assistance reception, but it is pretty much in the right general area and you will see it if you head here. You are able to download the map from that page, it might be helpful to save or print a copy if you prefer having it to hand.
Special assistance help points at Edinburgh Airport
Before you even enter the airport, you will find special assistance help points where you can call for help. There are also dedicated special assistance spaces in the airport after security where you can sit while you wait for help or simply use as a rest stop.
Special assistance help at Edinburgh Airport
The type and level of support you will get at Edinburgh Airport depends on what your needs are and the help that you book for yourself or your child. If booked, staff can assist you from arrival through to boarding.
This includes support to check in your luggage, support navigating the airport, help with your luggage, getting through security, help to navigate to the gate, and support to board the plane (even using an ambulift if you struggle with steps or need to stay in your wheelchair).
If needed, you can request wheelchair assistance at the airport, this means you will have wheelchair access for every part of the journey that you need it.
Something to remember for Edinburgh Airport is that when it comes to wheelchair assistance, they will only provide someone to push it if the passenger is an adult. If the passenger is a child someone with the child must push the chair. You may still receive an escort through the airport but they just cannot push a child in a chair.
Understanding staff
Staff are trained to support a range of additional needs, not just mobility issues. Staff recognise the Sunflower Lanyard and will do their best to support anyone they see wearing one. Staff are used to being approached and asked questions, do don’t feel shy to ask for help if you need it.
Other special assistance support at Edinburgh Airport
Lifts, accessible routes and step-free access are available across the terminal. This includes special assistance lanes at security and at passport control.
Not all of the quicker routers are available without booking special assistance that includes an escort because they involve going through doors that only open with an airport key card.
The special assistance facilities are usually clearly marked and not difficult to find. Look out for the wheelchair symbol, even if you do not use one. This is the symbol used to highlight facilities for disabled passengers.
Practical tips for using special assistance at Edinburgh Airport
- Tell the airline and assistance team exactly what your child needs. Be specific about sensory triggers, waiting tolerance and communication style. They will use your needs to decide which disability code best represents you/your child and assign that code to your booking so every member of staff who can see the booking or your boarding pass knows what kind of help you may need. Airports and airlines used a lot of different codes, but my guide breaks down what each airport or airline code is used for and what they represent.
- Go straight to the special assistance desk when you arrive so you are not navigating busy areas unnecessarily. Edinburgh Airport has a special assistance office, the door is outside near Sainsburys.
- Use the sunflower lanyard even if you don’t book full assistance. It quietly changes how staff approach you. This is not a formal request for help and you need to book special assistance too.
- Ask for a quieter place to wait if your child is becoming overwhelmed. There is a quiet area for the special assistance passengers to sit and wait, but it is quieter only with crowding and it is still very noisy. There is also a quiet room that anyone can use if they need to.
- Pack for regulation, not convenience. Snacks, headphones, familiar items and devices matter more than travelling light. There is a Sainsbury’s before security and a WHSmith and Boots after security which all have things like sandwiches, crisps, candy and other handy snacks.
- Walk through the journey with your child beforehand using photos or airport maps so they know what to expect. I have a few photos of Edinburgh Airport on Instagram and I will try to add more.
What to be aware of when using special assistance at Edinburgh Airport
- Assistance can sometimes involve waiting, especially during busy periods. Do not assume it will be immediate. Build this into your timing so it doesn’t become another stress point.
- Not all staff interactions are equal. If something isn’t working or you feel overlooked, speak up early rather than letting the situation escalate.
- Airlines and the airport are separate. Always confirm arrangements with both to avoid gaps in support and use the PRM Assist app to make a booking as another level of security to ensure you get the help you need.
Edinburgh Airport has a dedicated special assistance page — it’s worth checking before you travel so you know exactly what support is available. If you’re travelling through other UK airports, I’ve put together a guide linking directly to all special assistance pages — so you can find the right information quickly.
Edinburgh Airport can be a much more manageable environment for neurodivergent families when the right support is in place. The key is preparation, clear communication and giving yourself enough time. The Sunflower Lanyard, a slower pace and a plan for regulation can completely change how the airport experience feels for your child—and for you.
Planning your airport journey?
- If you’re flying from the UK, read my full airport special assistance guide – it explains exactly what help you can request and how to make sure you actually get it
- If your child has non-visible needs, this is how the Sunflower lanyard works and when to use it
- If you’re unsure what support to request, this guide explains the different disability codes used by airlines and how the right code gets the right support
- If you need assistance at UK airports, this guide has all the UK airports special assistance contact info you need so you don’t have to waste time hunting them all down
- If you or your child needs hidden disability airport support, learn more about what the DPNA code is and why it is likely the best code to apply to your passenger booking
- If you need to travel with mobility aids or medical equipment, this guide breaks down what medical luggage is and how you can ensure you can travel with the equipment you need