Almost kicked off FLIGHT! Please help

[Nicoleclaw]

You did not quote the bolded portion in your post to which I was referring.

I responded to your post as it stood. I had already forgotten her original statement.

In any case, it is how I felt your post came across and now how BOTH posts were coming across.

In fact, I think it has flared things up as her latest post shows and another PA-foe is further unaccepting of the dangers.

It is the one disability that impresses upon other people to change and modify their behavior and thus restricting their rights so that your child can enjoy some freedom of their own. I think there is a happy medium--but short of banning the peanut crop federally, it is difficult for you to ensure your child the freedom of safety without placing temporary bans in places you frequent.

But my kids are not allergic and my son right now about lives on peanut butter and it will take time to teach him to eat other things. But he's got issues of his own that I won't detail here. He has no understanding that nuts can kill someone and so in my world--it is a real pickle if we ended up on a long duration peanut-free flight. Not happening anytime soon--but should we need to take a flight, we would have a real problem and him refusing to eat for 5+ hours doesn't sound fair to him and he isn't exactly at a force-feedable age.

As it stands there isn't much that we do that couldn't be modified. But one things for certain.

Someone's oxygen tank or wheelchair usage or feeding tube or what not--doesn't infringe on my rights so that they can live and I think that is the crux of the issue for Firedancer.

But neither of you --- in my opinion --- are open to each others POV.

And sadly--that can put your child's life at risk as you state.

lol now I am just confused.... i have totally lost track of what is going on here. What were you referring to?

I like the term PA-foe! haha

You hit the nail on the head, it is the one disability that does infringe on other people's rights. Don't get me wrong, I DO understand the other side of the coin. But for me, I would have NO PROBLEM doing it in a heartbeat for someone else. Which does make it hard for me to totally comprehend that way of thinking. When we first found out, that was it, no peanut products in the house...DD (who is 5) lived on pb and was not happy, but she managed to deal with it. We now have pb in the house but are very careful about it.

I understand what your situation would be with your son. I don't anticipate flights ever really going peanut free - as in not being able to bring your own peanut stuff. So hopefully any flights you will go on won't have have a PA and you won't even have to deal with it a situation like that. I would hope that it would be accommodating to both parties to just have the two parties as separated as possible.

I think planes are one of the few places that it would be particularly dangerous due to tight quarters and recycled air. Schools I understand due to the age of the children, sheer numbers of them vs. teachers to keep an eye out.

Funny story about the snack mix on delta!

 

[koima]

I am not asking that peanuts be forced on you or your child. I want choice. I want to chose, completely independent of everyone else's circumstances, what is right for me and my children. You are of course free to do the same, provided it doesn't impede my freedom.

Perhaps I'm reading this wrong, but my understanding is that in the instance of peanuts on a plane with a person who is highly allergic does force that on the allergic person. They can't very well get off the airplane because you chose to eat your peanut butter sandwich in the middle of the flight.

Honestly, in America, you don't have the right to eat whatever you want, whenever you want. You can't bring outside food into most restaurants; you can't eat in a number of establishments like libraries and court rooms; in many states, you can't eat raw dairy. There are lots of restrictions on what you can eat and when. Does the restriction on peanuts so that someone in close proximity to you can get through an airplane flight without an allergic reaction infringe on your rights any more than the rules not to eat outside foods at restaurants? You said that you'd eat your peanut snack regardless of what the airline asked, but I'm guessing that you follow along with the restaurant's rules without complaints. What is the difference?

You want to have the right to choose what's right for you without considering anyone else's circumstances? That comes across very selfish to me. And as the family member of fallen service members, I doubt very much that they died so that someone can intentionally inflict suffering on others, which if you're blatantly ignoring the request to not eat nuts around a severely nut allergic person is exactly what you're doing. You quote "give me liberty or give me death!" and that could be exactly what is chosen in this circumstance: your liberty for someone else's death.

I know the family of a child who died of a peanut reaction last year. This issue hits close to home.

 

[twinklebug]

I believe the issue of peanut allergies could be compared to asthmatics and their reaction to cigarette smoke. Some will have a minor reaction (some wheezing & coughing) and others still can end up in the ER from inhaling second hand smoke. (raising hand) Thankfully in most places, smoking has been banned in public indoor buildings. The right to breathe has finally been recognized as something everyone should be entitled to.

Although I'm a peanut butter lover I'd have no problem substituting a good ole PB&J for a grilled cheese for my kids if it meant someone else could stay out of the ER. My right to peanut products is NOT more important than another person's right to live.

It's silly to think anyone has a "right" to something that can harm another just by it's mere presence.

 

[trisha.teery]

Your letter is extremely well thought out and written. I don't have any advise myself, but I hope things work out well for you.

 

[disneymarie]

Can you son get sick from just looking at peanuts? If they were on the floor and he wasn't eating them how would he have got sick

Anything that anyone touched with peanut hands could cause an extrem reaction. The peanut oil still is around. If peanunts were on the floor, then even standards for a clean flight were ignored. Between flights the trash should be cleaned.

With a heads up for a toddler with allergies at least caution to clean the seats. floor and surfaces should have been made. Called customer service for the new boarding passengers, and protection of spreading gerns and allergies.
Seems even a clean cover could be put on and that flight could be peanut free for the safety of passengers flying that flight. I am cetainly not going to care if an announcement is made that a protocol will be observered on that flight as being peanut free. If the passengers are put off the airline can tell them they will do to accomadate the passengers not choosing to fly because of the precautions taken.

for Heavens sake would any one person on that plane want to put a child in risk in the air to stop breathing from an attack?

I would be angry too....if I had, and I do, like the recent passenger did going through security, turn on the recording part. Just hold it up and say for both our protections I feel the best thing is to record this conversation.

You and your children were treated wrongly, embarrased, and discriminated against.
Hope the next flight goes better and think twice about Delta.
di

 

[mlynn]

I can't not believe some of the things I'm reading on here.
Yes you can eat what ever you want. But you can't wait a few hours to eat a peanut. Lets just say you are sitting next to the child w/the PA. Well then they dust gets on this child and he starts to react(I know a child that can't be anywhere near. they can't even go to ice cream palors because they may have peanuts inteh store) .His mom gives him his EPI pen that only helps a little. Then the piliot has to make anEmergency landing to get the child medical help. Maybe he isn't close to an airport.This puts the child in a dangerous situation. (and for all who could careless about a child it also puts your Schedule behind because now you have to wait for your unschedule stop to take off again.)Are you willing to do this to a child just so you can have a peanut? Come on people there are other things you can eat on a plane!!

 

[luvmyboys]

OP, I am so sorry you had to go through this. The man who was so awful to you should be flogged with a giant sack of peanuts. (unshelled)

Good luck with your letter, though to be honest, I doubt it will elicit much of a response from the airline. Might I suggest not flying Delta in the future?

Can you son get sick from just looking at peanuts? If they were on the floor and he wasn't eating them how would he have got sick

Yup, just by breathing/coming in contact with their dust or oils. (not everyone's allergy is this severe however.)

My DS has allergies to other nuts, and just playing on a couch where someone had eaten the nuts a week prior will cause his eyes to swell shut. It's crazy.

 

[Nicoleclaw]

I can't not believe some of the things I'm reading on here.
Yes you can eat what ever you want. But you can't wait a few hours to eat a peanut. Lets just say you are sitting next to the child w/the PA. Well then they dust gets on this child and he starts to react(I know a child that can't be anywhere near. they can't even go to ice cream palors because they may have peanuts inteh store) .His mom gives him his EPI pen that only helps a little. Then the piliot has to make anEmergency landing to get the child medical help. Maybe he isn't close to an airport.This puts the child in a dangerous situation. (and for all who could careless about a child it also puts your Schedule behind because now you have to wait for your unschedule stop to take off again.)Are you willing to do this to a child just so you can have a peanut? Come on people there are other things you can eat on a plane!!

I can't believe it either! I agree with you 100%!
although DS seems ok with peanut in the room, we don't do ice cream parlors because of the cross contamination. Even if you ask them to use a new scoop, a scoop that has been put in an ice cream that contains nuts has definitely been in all the other ice creams. And think of the toppings! ACK!

 

[FireDancer]

Honestly, in America, you don't have the right to eat whatever you want, whenever you want. You can't bring outside food into most restaurants; you can't eat in a number of establishments like libraries and court rooms; in many states, you can't eat raw dairy. There are lots of restrictions on what you can eat and when. Does the restriction on peanuts so that someone in close proximity to you can get through an airplane flight without an allergic reaction infringe on your rights any more than the rules not to eat outside foods at restaurants?

The rules against food in certain places don't bother me as long as they are universal. A court room doesn't say you can eat every day but today you have to hold off on lettuce because someone in the other isle is allergic. Walmart doesn't stop you at the door and say that contrary to their rules that you can bring in food today you have to hold off on bringing in yogurt because someone in isle 5 is lactose intolerant. I don't go to a restaurant with the expectation that I can or can't eat something like I do on a plane. I would have a problem in a restaurant if they wouldn't let me order something off the menu because someone a few booths over couldnt' have it. That would infuriate me.

Eat what you want in situations where your own food is allowed and I will eat what I want. I won't throw peanuts at someone who is allergic but stay out of my food choice.

 

[Disney Doll]

Wow, Fire Dancer...just wow....

 

[mickeyboat]

It's not a matter of food choices, it's a matter of life and death for some PA people. I would never put my food tastes above someone else's life. I can wait and eat my peanut butter at home. Even my 9 year old DD understands this.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Honestly, in America, you don't have the right to eat whatever you want, whenever you want. You can't bring outside food into most restaurants; you can't eat in a number of establishments like libraries and court rooms; in many states, you can't eat raw dairy. Does the restriction on peanuts so that someone in close proximity to you can get through an airplane flight without an allergic reaction infringe on your rights any more than the rules not to eat outside foods at restaurants?

However, you do have the right to bring your own food onto an airplane. And there's a HUGE difference between a 'close proximity' restriction, and one banning a food from the entire plane.

If peanunts were on the floor, then even standards for a clean flight were ignored. Between flights the trash should be cleaned.

Again, as has been stated several times in this thread: that's simply not possible in the brief time the plane is on the ground.

Seems even a clean cover could be put on and that flight could be peanut free for the safety of passengers flying that flight.

Again, Delta's policy does not provide a peanut-free flight.
QUOTE]If the passengers are put off the airline can tell them they will do to accomadate the passengers not choosing to fly because of the precautions taken.[/QUOTE] Annnnnd we're back to the issue of "when do the needs of the one supersede the rights of the many?". Respectfully, it is more financially sensible for the ONE peanut-allergy party to be moved to another flight than to move any/all passengers who, for whatever reason, can't or won't comply with a food restriction.

 

[mlynn]

The rules against food in certain places don't bother me as long as they are universal. A court room doesn't say you can eat every day but today you have to hold off on lettuce because someone in the other isle is allergic. Walmart doesn't stop you at the door and say that contrary to their rules that you can bring in food today you have to hold off on bringing in yogurt because someone in isle 5 is lactose intolerant. I don't go to a restaurant with the expectation that I can or can't eat something like I do on a plane. I would have a problem in a restaurant if they wouldn't let me order something off the menu because someone a few booths over couldnt' have it. That would infuriate me.

Eat what you want in situations where your own food is allowed and I will eat what I want. I won't throw peanuts at someone who is allergic but stay out of my food choice.

Wow it is n't a food choice that keeps these people with PA away from eating peanuts. It can kill them!!! A peanut allergy is one of the worse ones. Lactose intolerant isn't the same as a Dairy allergy. There is a website
http://www.foodallergy.org/. You should go and check it out and see what people go through before you say it is there choice not to eat it.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Perhaps I'm reading this wrong, but my understanding is that in the instance of peanuts on a plane with a person who is highly allergic does force that on the allergic person. They can't very well get off the airplane because you chose to eat your peanut butter sandwich in the middle of the flight.

Honestly, in America, you don't have the right to eat whatever you want, whenever you want. You can't bring outside food into most restaurants; you can't eat in a number of establishments like libraries and court rooms; in many states, you can't eat raw dairy. There are lots of restrictions on what you can eat and when. Does the restriction on peanuts so that someone in close proximity to you can get through an airplane flight without an allergic reaction infringe on your rights any more than the rules not to eat outside foods at restaurants? You said that you'd eat your peanut snack regardless of what the airline asked, but I'm guessing that you follow along with the restaurant's rules without complaints. What is the difference?

You want to have the right to choose what's right for you without considering anyone else's circumstances? That comes across very selfish to me. And as the family member of fallen service members, I doubt very much that they died so that someone can intentionally inflict suffering on others, which if you're blatantly ignoring the request to not eat nuts around a severely nut allergic person is exactly what you're doing. You quote "give me liberty or give me death!" and that could be exactly what is chosen in this circumstance: your liberty for someone else's death.

I know the family of a child who died of a peanut reaction last year. This issue hits close to home.

I'm not allergic, nor do I know anyone who is that allergic, but I completely agree with what you're saying, and you word it much better then me.

I am very sorry for the loss of the child who died.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

The rules against food in certain places don't bother me as long as they are universal. A court room doesn't say you can eat every day but today you have to hold off on lettuce because someone in the other isle is allergic. Walmart doesn't stop you at the door and say that contrary to their rules that you can bring in food today you have to hold off on bringing in yogurt because someone in isle 5 is lactose intolerant. I don't go to a restaurant with the expectation that I can or can't eat something like I do on a plane. I would have a problem in a restaurant if they wouldn't let me order something off the menu because someone a few booths over couldnt' have it. That would infuriate me.

Eat what you want in situations where your own food is allowed and I will eat what I want. I won't throw peanuts at someone who is allergic but stay out of my food choice.

And if someone had an allergic reaction when you were eating your peanuts, and died, you'd be okay with that on your conciance? I wouldn't be.

 

[ma2jr]

It's sad you know. Imagine having to be afraid for your child's well being everyday... when something as simple and necessary as food can kill them.

Delta

 

[disneyelaine]

It's sad you know. Imagine having to be afraid for your child's well being everyday... when something as simple and necessary as food can kill them.

Delta

I agree. But if I had a child with one, I really would not fly or I'd search out those airlines that do not serve peanuts. I'd buy an RV and drive across country before I'd take that life or death risk with my child. (well in fact I did just that!) My child does not have a PA, but has autism. Bad experience for him when we flew once. No, nothing too awful, and it was not life threatening to him or to others, but why go thru all that anxiety when I can make other arrangements.

I would always avoid peanuts to allow a child with an allergery to live. I don't understand people who wouldn't. Unreal.

Just an observation. We had a PA kid at my son's elementary. All the kids
were so good & sympathetic. Funny how it was a small group of parents yelling about their child's rights to peanuts. The kids were fine with no peanuts, but boy watch out for those parents!

Same way for my son with autism. The kids were great to him, understood him, loved him. But there were always some parents who didn't like their kids to be in class with him.

Totally OT, but kids can be way more caring than adults.

 

[FireDancer]

For me this issue has nothing to do with peanuts per se. I see it as a part of a bigger issue where the needs of one or of a small minority effect the whole. I am not advocating running up to someone with an allergy and rubbing the peanuts on them. I am advocating my ability to sit in my little corner of the world and enjoy the food I want. If I was next to someone allergic I would have no problem switching seats and someone who chooses not to eat peanuts can sit next to them. I am opposed, however, to an entire plane or class having to go without because of one person's problem. If someone is so allergic to something that they can't even be on opposite ends of a plane from someone using the product in question, maybe they need to find a different mode or transportation.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. Another great benefit of being an American, the right to have differing opinions.

 

[ols386]

To the OP, I'm sorry you were treated that way. There is absolutely no excuse for that employee to have spoken to you that way. He sounds like he definately has some issues. In my opinion, he should be fired. As an airline employee, you don't treat customers like that. He was just flat wrong.

I thought the letter that you are sending to the airline was fine the way it is. I'd send it.

 

[ols386]

For me this issue has nothing to do with peanuts per se. I see it as a part of a bigger issue where the needs of one or of a small minority effect the whole. I am not advocating running up to someone with an allergy and rubbing the peanuts on them. I am advocating my ability to sit in my little corner of the world and enjoy the food I want. If I was next to someone allergic I would have no problem switching seats and someone who chooses not to eat peanuts can sit next to them. I am opposed, however, to an entire plane or class having to go without because of one person's problem. If someone is so allergic to something that they can't even be on opposite ends of a plane from someone using the product in question, maybe they need to find a different mode or transportation.
We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. Another great benefit of being an American, the right to have differing opinions.

Wow, you make it sound like your rights have been violated if you couldn't eat peanuts on a plane.

To expect that someone should find another mode of transportation because of a food allergy, like peanuts, is kind of an extreme statement to make.

As far as I'm concerned, the issue isn't the peanuts either, as you stated. The main issue for me is the way the op was treated by the airline employees, especially the man who said all of his vicious remarks to her and about her personally. That's just ridiculous.