85 AirportImprovement.com May | June 2026 PASSENGER EXPERIENCE YHZ Is Your Airport EventReady? Airport-wide solutions. Unforgettable experiences. Manage surging passenger volumes and a mega-decade of events. Learn more about EventReady™ at synectmedia.com/events accessibility that she decided to pursue designation as a Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certified Professional. User Feedback One especially big fan of the airport’s accessibility efforts is Jill Cormier, a certified autism specialist and the inclusion and family support supervisor at Autism Nova Scotia. As the parent of an autistic child, Cormier has personally participated in Autism Aviators practice travel days at YHZ. The program, which takes place annually, allows pre-registered families to come to the airport, print a sample boarding pass, proceed through security to the gate and ultimately, board an airplane. Cormier’s family participated to help her son acclimate to the airport environment under lower-stress conditions before an upcoming trip, especially regarding predictability and what to expect. “For a lot of families, it’s their first time flying,” Cormier says. “We were anticipating travel and it was great because it did help with those transition pieces and simplify what [the experience] was going to look like.” Now, through her position with Autism Nova Scotia, she helps others benefit from the program, too. “We work with the airport to make sure this walk-through is fantastic for the families,” she says. “They have a celebration afterward where participants receive a certificate at the observation deck.” Autism Nova Scotia also promotes YHZ’s participation in the worldwide Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program and encourages travelers or families to pick up a complimentary lanyard or pin onsite or request one online through the airport website prior to travel. MacDonald, who oversees the Sunflower Program at YHZ, reports that use of the lanyards and pins has increased in recent months as more people in the community have become familiar with the program. “It’s really taken off and empowered people to take that quiet step to advocate for themselves when they’re travelling,” she says. Between the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program and Autism Aviators walk-throughs, Cormier considers YHZ a leader in the industry for proactively addressing the needs of guests with diverse abilities. “They are very passionate about accessibility,” she says. “They’ve done their work, for sure, and we’re privileged that we can partner with them.”
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