Houston (IAH) Airport Opens New Sensory Room in Terminal B
Key Takeaways
- Houston has opened a new sensory room is located across from Gate B10 in Terminal B.
- The room features an interactive airplane cockpit, a mock aircraft cabin, bubble tubes, and quiet seating.
- A separate enclosed space includes a therapy rocker chair and calm lighting.
Travel can be stressful, and finding places to relax while traveling is something I am passionate about. For many, having a quiet haven away from the loud terminals, crowds, and general stress can make a trip much more enjoyable. Many airports are recognizing this need and implementing spaces and terminals to help relieve this stress.
One of the exciting additions we are starting to see more of are sensory rooms (sometimes known as quiet rooms). These rooms come in different levels of quality and amenities, but I had a chance to visit the brand-new Sensory Room at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, and it is one of the most impressive ones I have ever seen.
The new sensory room is free to access, open 24 hours, and located in the new Terminal B across from Gate B10. The space is available to all passengers and is optimized for travelers with autism and sensory sensitivities.
Once you arrive at the sensory room, you will walk through a door and instantly feel calmer. The dim lights, soft tones, and amenities are all carefully designed for travelers of any age and need. The spot has a circular flow with all of the areas connected so you can walk between the rooms with ease.
Amenities
Once inside, you will see a mockup of a cockpit with monitors showing clouds with many buttons and controls you can play with as you pretend to be flying. Next to the cockpit mockup is an aircraft cabin mockup with 6 functioning seats, airplane windows, overhead bins, and the actual feeling of boarding an aircraft. When I first saw this, I thought about how great this was for new flyers, nervous flyers, or those who wanted to practice the boarding process before it was actually time.
Directly beside the aircraft cabin is a common seating area with large bubble tubes, which are relaxing to watch and can help calm anxiety.
The next room is the largest area in the sensory room, and it has some nice semi-isolated seats that are divided for a single person to sit in, thus offering some solitude. This big room also has some wall-mounted toys and pipe games, providing a play area with family seating. Finally, there is a closed room area with a chair, a therapy rocker chair designed to help sensory processing. There is also a TV and small star-like lights on the ceiling. The nice thing is that this room can be closed to really isolate it from the rest of the sensory room.
There are several AC power outlets are available throughout the room. Also note, there are no windows with outside views and very limited luggage storage space.
Related
Closing Thoughts
Houston's new Terminal B sensory room is a welcome addition to IAH and a great example of airports recognizing the importance of creating more inclusive travel environments. I recommend this place for families, nervous flyers, and travelers who need a break from the busy airport.