Salvador Bahia Airport in Brazil has opened its first multisensory room and launched LUMI, a programme designed to make the gateway more welcoming and accessible for all passengers.
The multisensory room with its own airplane-themed area is designed to offer an environment with controlled stimuli, predictability and resources that help regulate the sensory and emotional wellbeing of passengers with conditions such as autism, ADHD and extreme anxiety.
“The room was designed with a focus on emotional and sensory regulation, prioritising predictability regarding typical flight events and providing resources that foster a calming effect,” explains Adriana Balaguer, the occupational therapist who consulted on the room’s design.
“We selected materials that sink, vibrate, massage, or offer weight and compression, primarily stimulating the proprioceptive system.”
Beyond sensory features, the space aims to make the airport experience more predictable and provide a place where passengers can regain their composure when faced with sensory overload.
The concept addresses not only individual wellbeing but also stress reduction for companions and others involved in the journey.
During the inauguration event, Salvador Bahia Airport also launched LUMI, a programme bringing together initiatives aimed at welcoming and ensuring accessibility for passengers with diverse needs.
With the slogan ‘Illuminating the path for a smoother journey’, the programme includes initiatives such as staff training, accessible information materials, travel guidance booklets, sunflower-symbol identification lanyards, and both physical and digital signage throughout the terminal.
“Accessibility is part of the experience we aim to provide at Salvador Bahia Airport, and it requires considering the diverse ways each person experiences their journey through the terminal,” notes Julio Ribas, CEO of Salvador Bahia Airport.
“With LUMI, we are taking a significant step toward broadening this perspective and turning inclusion into concrete actions that offer passengers a more welcoming environment, greater autonomy, and enhanced safety.
“The multisensory room is one such initiative, representing our commitment to making the airport an increasingly accessible space, equipped to accommodate and care for a wide range of needs.”
