London Gatwick Airport and Shannon Airport - Sensory Rooms

In October London’s Gatwick Airport became the second airport in Europe (and first in the UK) to open a sensory room for its passengers, offering a relaxing, private and fully interactive environment to calm people who may feel overwhelmed in busy and unfamiliar airport surroundings.

The new free to use facility provides a calming space for passengers with special needs. It includes an interactive zone full of light and sound also designed to stimulate senses, improve memory, motor skills and encourage learning.

The ‘chill-out zone’ for those needing calm includes floor cushions, bean bags and digital display panels, which generate 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 only other airport in Europe to currently have such a facility is Shannon Airport in Ireland, which issued a press release welcoming Gatwick’s announcement.

Shannon opened Europe’s first sensory room in March of last year for children and adults with neurodevelopmental challenges including autism, and has since facilitated visits by airports around the world that are exploring Shannon’s lead. Among them was Gatwick Airport.