Anyone take PB&J sandwiches through airport security?

[goofy4tink]

Because there isn't just 1 food!



I love how all the scientific facts and proof is just thrown out the window on this thread but all the emotions and personal stories are automatically believed!

Get the real scientific facts. You have to have peanut protein in the air to have a REAL not emotionally based reaction, peanut butter does not release protein in the air so no inhalation danger to the allergy person. None, nada, the empty set. If they get them selves worked up from the smell I can't help that.

Yes from loose peanuts they can have a reaction BUT only in certain concentrations. Like the whole plane opening their peanut bags all at once, 1 person at the other end of the plane isn't going to do it-the physics of it do not allow enough parts per whatever in the air to reach the person.


I still haven't heard from any of the people with a peanut allergy my question.
Why don't you wear a mask and gloves? That way you are protecting you and claim that is all you want to do.

Okay....we are not just talking about airborne here...but also the leaving of peanut oil behind. And I think I was pretty clear about that...you get a 4 y/o kid, sitting there, eating his pb sandwich on the flight. Okay, no biggie. But, along comes a 6 y/o, with a severe peanut allergy. Mom proceeds to clean the area to the best of her ability and then puts a sheet down, over the seat and arms. Ds now comes along and plops himself down in that same seat. But about 20 mins into the flight, his little fingers wipe across an area that still had peanut residue on it. He then puts his fingers in his mouth, nose, eyes..whatever. And now...he reacts.
Should he wear a mask?? Maybe. Should he be wearing gloves? Maybe. But neither of those things would have prevented the reaction due to the circumstances.

Spend about six months purchasing, making and carrying around turkey sandwiches...and bags of frozen peas...and then come back to tell us that it is so easy.

I think you'll find it easier, cheaper and less wasteful to toss some crackers in your purse and forget about them until you need them.

It isn't just pb, either.

If you want to stop using thing that trigger allergies, there are many things that need to be changed. And the entire world has to change with you or it is no use at all.

6 months??? Really?? Where does that number come from??? It's one flight. Try traveling with a teen who is allergic to almost everything...diet consists of white boiled rice, sweet potatoes, kale and bacon. Yeah, seriously. I'm sure she would be thrilled to be able to put together a turkey sandwich and a bag of frozen peas.

It is a lot bigger, takes up more room. And if you are short on space can be a big difference.

Adds weight to carry

It is wet, the condensation can get on everything

Only stays cold so long, my Peanut butter will last a very long time.

You now have a bag of peas to throw away and deal with
it is wasteful, why should I waste a bag of peas for no good reason? wasteful for the cost and just the idea of throwing away good food for no good reason.

I will do what I need to do and can do to help people when the request is reasonable and scientifically based. If not I won't, I don't live my life making decisions based solely on emotions.

Again...seriously??? Weight?? Yeah, about 8oz. You put it in something that isn't going to be affected by condensation. And yeah, you just slow down at a trash bin and toss the bag of peas out.
You keep harping on airborne, but that isn't the only issue. It is a touchable issue that is probably more serious.

I'm really glad Danny moved this thread over here. Much easier to deal with. So, having said that....you want to keep eating pb/j sandwiches? Have at it. But don't come here, going on about the 'emotional' responses of the moms of allergic kids. It's those of you who refuse to give up that one sandwich that seem to be the most emotional.
My dd lives on pb.....but we no longer take it along on flights. Yes, we always have packaged p/b crackers with us. But, we don't eat them on the plane. Of course, that may be due to dd's watching her best friend almost die from an allergic reaction last spring. So she is probably a lot more empathetic than most.

The lack of empathy here is overwhelming to me. It's very sad.

 

[goofy4tink]

Of course if its my child I would do everything that you suggested , and I do. If my kids forgets their Epi-pens they get seriously grounded . If my kid didnt want to wear that mask I would hold it in place intil the danger was gone. But not all moms are comfortable with that. Each mom has to make hard choices between providing safety and alowing their child a sense of normalacy . Thankfully my kids are good about dong what they need to to stay safe , but I dont judge others who may not use masks or gloves when needed.

I also remember what its like to be a " I know more than everyone else" teenager. Even though my kid knows better and was raised to respect his allergy and take safety seriously, not everyones kid is.

Would I want some one elses teenager to have a reaction just because they were stupid enough to not carry that Epi ? Nope.You said they should deal with the consequences, but you do know those consequences are death right ? Most of us know that at that age most kids have this false sense of immortality . They do stupid crazy things sometimes.

If I see some kid skateboarding down a hill with headphones on and car coming toward him do I say " Stupid kid should know better." and let him get hit ? Or do I jump in and try to save the kid ? I would try to help him even if he was irresponsible. Its called compassion and love for others. But I think some people are to concerned with self entitlement to see what its really all about.

Do you think a smoker is entitled to smoke in a enclosed enviorment next to someone with a oxygen tank also? No one says anyone should not eat Pb or smoke or anything else. But a couple hours of refrain and consideration for others should not infringe upon your personal being to greatly.

I have to tell you...when my dd heads to WDW in June, with her two best friends, for their high school graduation trip??? You better know that my dd is going to know how to administer that Epi-pen for her friend. Her friend had an almost fatal reaction last year in NYC....she told the Jamba Juice people she needed her drink made in a perfectly clean machine, one that hadn't been used for dairy since she has a huge dairy allergy. All her friends heard exactly what she said....and repeated it me later. But, the Jamba Juice employee made a mistake..not only didn't she make the drink in a 'clean' machine, she added dairy to it!!! Seems she was chatting with her buddies and not paying attention even though dd's friend repeated what she needed. Well... about 4 mins later, she reacted. She reacted so quickly that she wasn't able to administer the Epi herself. Thank God there was a Verizon store right there, with a manager who had just been at the hospital with his brother the day before...with a major allergic reaction. So, he knew exactly what to do. The ambulance EMTs came and got her to the hospital. The doctor told her and her dad that she had come within about 15 mins of dying!!
You know that the other two girls will know exactly what to do in WDW...just in case!!!

 

[cinderella73]

I have to tell you...when my dd heads to WDW in June, with her two best friends, for their high school graduation trip??? You better know that my dd is going to know how to administer that Epi-pen for her friend. Her friend had an almost fatal reaction last year in NYC....she told the Jamba Juice people she needed her drink made in a perfectly clean machine, one that hadn't been used for dairy since she has a huge dairy allergy. All her friends heard exactly what she said....and repeated it me later. But, the Jamba Juice employee made a mistake..not only didn't she make the drink in a 'clean' machine, she added dairy to it!!! Seems she was chatting with her buddies and not paying attention even though dd's friend repeated what she needed. Well... about 4 mins later, she reacted. She reacted so quickly that she wasn't able to administer the Epi herself. Thank God there was a Verizon store right there, with a manager who had just been at the hospital with his brother the day before...with a major allergic reaction. So, he knew exactly what to do. The ambulance EMTs came and got her to the hospital. The doctor told her and her dad that she had come within about 15 mins of dying!!
You know that the other two girls will know exactly what to do in WDW...just in case!!!

Your daughter sounds like a awesome kid and great friend. I always tell my kids when we have a refresher class on using the epi ( about once a year) that its not just them. They never know when they might need one to save someone else also. I think it gives them a sense of purpose and importance to know what they are learning is important on so many levels.

Scary about your DD's friend! Thank God she had her Epi on her ! Disney is one of the better places to be with food allergies . I hope they have a wonderful and safe trip !

 

[kaytieeldr]

Outside a hospital, the masks draw attention and are embarrassing. They make a kid different. It's a stupid reason not to wear it, but a powerful one.

Is it enough more embarrassing than altering the entire food service plan of a flight (or classroom, or school) on the chance that exposure to the allergen could cause a possibly dangerous physiological reaction in an allergic person? I'm not doubting the seriousness of food allergies*, but again, I can't find any report of a fatality from exposure to peanut product on planes.

You have to understand how frightening it is to know your child can die.

Of course it's frightening. No parent should outlive their child. According to the information I found online very early this morning - so I don't have the sites saved, but if I can find it anyone can - there are between 100 and 200 deaths annually from all food allergies. Only 5%-10% of those appear to be peanut-related.

Many people don't believe that allergies like this exist and those folks are beyond reason.

Fortunately, most people DO believe food allergies like these exist. More than twice as many people in this country are allergic to shellfish - yet there isn't the fanaticism over that allergy that there is with peanuts... despite the exposure reactions being equally severe.

While understanding that peanut protien exposure could be fatal, it's less than reasonable to expect the world to adapt to the allergic persons. Would it surprise you to know that only about 1.1% of Americans of all ages have peanut allergies - yet entire planes, even schools (three in my mid-size city, including the only middle school) are entirely peanut-free?

It's not going anywhere. Even the ones who yell and scream and pretend to make it about other people being bad for eating nuts know its not going anywhere. But it is hard for them.
Lighten up on the moms.

I'm an adult, but I'm really reluctant to "lighten up on" people who fake concern for my occasional food choices (the HFCS/wrong about trans-fats poster) or call me a horrible person because I'm capable of eating a sandwich that offends them without disseminating any of the offending product. Just like they're standing up for their kids, I'm standing up for me.


*

 

[kaytieeldr]

It is easy to freeze a bag a peas, and use that to keep your turkey sandwhich cold. So I'm not dismissing someone else's medical need. It is easy enough to pack a food that isn't such a known allergen. There is no reason why someone has to have peanut butter (or peanut products) and only peanut butter.

Sure it's easy. Let's take my trip again. I'm up at five, out of the house by 6:30 or so. I work all day. My flight leaves at 7:30 PM.

Unless it's winter and I parked on the street (which I didn't, because I'm leaving my car in the garage at work ), the peas are melted and mooshy and the turkey's warm and I'm NOT eating it. No, it's not going to kill me - but I'm not spending the whole flight in the bathroom, either.

 

[Lisa71]

I have tremendous sympathy to anyone with peanut allergies as peanuts are in so many areas. We have been on many flights where the pilot announces not to use or open any peanut products due to a severely allergic person on board. We always have "back up" food and my kids and I wash our hands anytime we touch peanuts. My friend's spouse almost died from his allergy. If your child is allergic be sure you have emergency meds on hand at all times.

 

[aubriee]

A vegatarian child cannot eat turkey.
A child with sensory issues cannot eat turkey.

Let's not oversimplfy this ok? Not every solution works for everyone. For example for years I worked with a disabled student who everyday ate the same lunch. Changing his lunch was not an option. He ate 1/2 of a peanut butter sandwich(on white bread).

Throwing a bag of peas in with a turkey sandwich was not "easy" for him.

In my mom's case it would not be easy either. She can be difficult to deal with anyway: she is 78, slightly senile, very stubborn, and very resistive to change in the best of circumstances. Don't get me wrong, most people that meet her, consider her the epitomy of the classic 'sweet old lady'. She is one of the nicest people you would ever want to meet and kids automatically are drawn to her and adore her. When she's thinking clearly, she would always put a kid's safety first and hers last. However, she is also very set in her ways and to her thinking, if her blood sugar is dropping the only thing that will keep her from passing out is peanut butter and a starch. Yes, I've tried to teach her that a meat and cheese sandwich with fruit would be a better option, but as I stated previously, she attended a diabetic seminar 25 years ago and their instructer told them if their blood sugar is low, to eat a peanut butter sandwich, so that is stuck permanently in her mind and won't budge. I don't know if you've ever dealt with a diabetic who is having low blood sugar, but they get very confused, can be combative if you try to force food on them, and will usually have one single thought on their mind that won't budge. In my 78 yo mom's case it's going to be "I have to eat a peanut butter sandwich or I'm going to pass out and round up in the hospital in ICU again". She's been in ICU in a coma three different times for high blood sugar, but when her sugar is low she gets very confused, she has it in her mind that she's going to round up in the hospital and would fight you for a peanut butter sandwich. What's worse is she is such a brittle diabetic that her blood sugar will frequently drop (or go sky high) for absolutely no reason, even if she's just eaten a good meal, so there is no way to predict what her sugar is going to do.

If parents would just have the gate agent announce that the flight needs to be nut free in time for: #1. allow us time to get a different snack and #2. allow me time to get through to her why she needs to settle for a different snack, there wouldn't be a problem. I think it is very inconsiderate of parents not to have the gate agent make that announcement prior to boarding though. Every single nut free flight I've ever been on, the parent has waited until after boarding to have the FA make the announcement. We would never want to put a child in danger, but at the same time, is it right to allow my mom to pass out if her blood sugar is low. When her sugar starts dropping, it gets really low, really quick. The OJ that is served on the plane will shoot it up, but will not keep it up. She has to have a protein and a starch quickly, but unless the thought is already planted in her mind that she's going to have eat a meat/cheese s/w this particular flight, she would fight any other option than a peanut butter s/w.

For that matter, I too am a diabetic, just not a brittle one like her. I too take injections, but take Victoza shots (instead of insulin four times a day like she does) which pretty much keeps my blood sugars regulated. Even so, I do still have occasional low blood sugars though. I always carry a bag of granola with me. If the FA announces the flight is nut free, I'd never open that bag, but would get a little irriatated that the announcement wasn't made prior to boarding, so I could have bought something else. In fact, I've started carrying a snack size zip lock bag of frozen grapes on every flight now, just in case.

 

[maxiesmom]

Sure it's easy. Let's take my trip again. I'm up at five, out of the house by 6:30 or so. I work all day. My flight leaves at 7:30 PM.

Unless it's winter and I parked on the street (which I didn't, because I'm leaving my car in the garage at work ), the peas are melted and mooshy and the turkey's warm and I'm NOT eating it. No, it's not going to kill me - but I'm not spending the whole flight in the bathroom, either.

A small cooler would keep those peas cold until you got to the airport. Do you guys really not have a fridge and freezer at work? I thought they were pretty much standard at all work places. I wouldn't eat a warm turkey sandwich either, but I only said turkey because that is what the person I was responding to referenced.

If someone has a parent or child who is so stubborn that only PB will do, I'm not sure how announcing at the gate is a help. Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to find a substitute before going to the airport? Not once you are by the gate with very limited choices.

 

[aubriee]

A small cooler would keep those peas cold until you got to the airport. Do you guys really not have a fridge and freezer at work? I thought they were pretty much standard at all work places. I wouldn't eat a warm turkey sandwich either, but I only said turkey because that is what the person I was responding to referenced.

If someone has a parent or child who is so stubborn that only PB will do, I'm not sure how announcing at the gate is a help. Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to find a substitute before going to the airport? Not once you are by the gate with very limited choices.

I never leave from my job to go straight to the airport, but no we do not have freezer section in the little dorm size fridge we have a work, so would not be able to freeze anything at work.

As far as my mom, you'd have to understand her and her preconceived ideas. If I tell her before leaving home that we need to take something besides peanut butter, just in case it's a peanut free flight, she would not believe me and argue she couldn't do without it. On the other hand, she is from the old school where authority is not questioned. If an announcement came over a loud speaker from the gate agent, she might panic for a minute, until I could convince her she'd be OK with another snack, but she would comply because the gate agent is to her mind an official. It may not make sense to you or me, but it does to her.

 

[goofy4tink]

And again...no one solution is going to work for everyone. We give out suggestions that seem to work for others, and if it works for you, terrific. If not, no problem. It's merely a suggestion.

Peanut allergies are hugely prevalent now...not sure what we have done, as a society, to our kids. But, something has changed in 20 years. And the issue is that peanut is found in a ton more products than shellfish!!! And that's an issue. It's actually almost hidden in a lot of foods as an additive, for some reason.
And it is a staple of many children's diets. This is why it's such a huge issue.

Long story short???? Yes, the gate agents should have some way of notifying passengers, at the gate, that peanuts could cause an issue on that specific flight. Maybe it's time they get a big old sign and put it up at that gate....."WARNING......PEANUT ALLERGY ON BOARD THIS FLIGHT. PLEASE, NO PEANUT PRODUCTS WHILE IN FLIGHT!!!"
At least passengers would be able to go off and get something else to eat prior to boarding.

And if you feel that you want to eat your peanut butter sandwich, then fine. But, please, just be careful and tidy. Try not to get peanut butter on surfaces around your seat. That shouldn't negatively impact your flight. And that's pretty much all we can ask. It's common courtesy.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Peanut allergies are hugely prevalent now

Interestingly, they're not. Peanut allergies may seem hugely prevalent because people are so vocal about them but... would it surprise you to know almost twice as many Americans suffer from dairy allergies as from peanut allergies http://foodallergies.about.com/od/foodallergybasics/a/big_eight_fa.htm? It shocked me, given this thread and your daughter's friend's experience.

And if you feel that you want to eat your peanut butter sandwich, then fine. But, please, just be careful and tidy.

As the quoted poster knows I am , having dined and drunk with me - although never on a flight. I shouldn't HAVE to explain why I eat what I do or how I eat and dispose, and aubriee shouldn't HAVE to justify her mother's emergency snack.

 

[amarberry]

A vegatarian child cannot eat turkey.
A child with sensory issues cannot eat turkey.

Let's not oversimplfy this ok? Not every solution works for everyone. For example for years I worked with a disabled student who everyday ate the same lunch. Changing his lunch was not an option. He ate 1/2 of a peanut butter sandwich(on white bread).

Throwing a bag of peas in with a turkey sandwich was not "easy" for him.

I posted several pages ago. To recap, my daughter has a severe, life threatening, non-peanut food allergy. She was administered her epipen and taken away from her school in an ambulance a little over a month ago after have a reaction that was most likely caused by using shared math tools in class. Despite my kids not being allergic peanuts, we do not bring peanut products on planes because I am concerned about peanut oils being left behind on the plane. A plane 10,000 feet in the air and away from medical professionals is different than the lunchroom at school where an EMT can be there within minutes.

Guess what...we are vegetarians, my 4 yo son has sensory issues, my kids love PB&J (eat it several times a week), and we still manage to find alternatives to PB on a plane. It's not impossible.

Here are some ideas:

1. Pack a yogurt. Have your kids eat it after you check your bags and just before you go through security. We've done this many, many times. Bring along some fruit, crackers, cheese to eat on the plane. My kids can easily make the 2-3 hour flight doing this.

2. Splurge and buy your turkey and cheese sandwich after you get through security at the airport. I can't think of an airport that doesn't sell some sort of sandwiches once you get through security.

3. I have never had this, but what about the foil packets of tuna? Seems like a good portable, high protein meal if you eat meat.

4. If you absolutely have to eat PB, why does it need to be eaten on a plane? Why can't it be eaten before getting on the plane? Of course, it would be most helpful if hand were washed afterwards.

 

[amarberry]

In my mom's case it would not be easy either. She can be difficult to deal with anyway: she is 78, slightly senile, very stubborn, and very resistive to change in the best of circumstances. Don't get me wrong, most people that meet her, consider her the epitomy of the classic 'sweet old lady'. She is one of the nicest people you would ever want to meet and kids automatically are drawn to her and adore her. When she's thinking clearly, she would always put a kid's safety first and hers last. However, she is also very set in her ways and to her thinking, if her blood sugar is dropping the only thing that will keep her from passing out is peanut butter and a starch. Yes, I've tried to teach her that a meat and cheese sandwich with fruit would be a better option, but as I stated previously, she attended a diabetic seminar 25 years ago and their instructer told them if their blood sugar is low, to eat a peanut butter sandwich, so that is stuck permanently in her mind and won't budge. I don't know if you've ever dealt with a diabetic who is having low blood sugar, but they get very confused, can be combative if you try to force food on them, and will usually have one single thought on their mind that won't budge. In my 78 yo mom's case it's going to be "I have to eat a peanut butter sandwich or I'm going to pass out and round up in the hospital in ICU again". She's been in ICU in a coma three different times for high blood sugar, but when her sugar is low she gets very confused, she has it in her mind that she's going to round up in the hospital and would fight you for a peanut butter sandwich. What's worse is she is such a brittle diabetic that her blood sugar will frequently drop (or go sky high) for absolutely no reason, even if she's just eaten a good meal, so there is no way to predict what her sugar is going to do.
.

Have you tried having her physician tell her that there are other options than peanut butter? It sounds like she does not want to deviate from the advice of the instructor from 25 years ago, but maybe if her doctor explained that there are other options and why peanut butter is sometimes banned on flights, she would respond better?

 

[Hannathy]

Have you tried having her physician tell her that there are other options than peanut butter? It sounds like she does not want to deviate from the advice of the instructor from 25 years ago, but maybe if her doctor explained that there are other options and why peanut butter is sometimes banned on flights, she would respond better?

But why should an elderly woman have to do this when eating a peanut butter sandwich isn't going to hurt anyone?

This is where the expressiveness come into play and what makes people not want to cooperate.

 

[amarberry]

But why should an elderly woman have to do this when eating a peanut butter sandwich isn't going to hurt anyone?

This is where the expressiveness come into play and what makes people not want to cooperate.

If she is on a flight and they have asked for no peanut products to be consumed, it can hurt the person with the allergy (and I would argue it could hurt a person with a peanut allergy on a later flight, if they were to sit in that row and there was oil residue on the seat).

It also hurts the elderly woman who gets upset thinking that she is not allowed to eat the food that she has been told will help her. Why not try getting her to understand that there are other alternatives so she won't get upset? As the daughter of the elderly woman has stated, she still lives by the guidelines provided to her by an instructor 25 years ago. I stated that perhaps a physician could explain alternatives and why peanut products may occassionally be banned.

 

[Hannathy]

If she is on a flight and they have asked for no peanut products to be consumed, it can hurt the person with the allergy (and I would argue it could hurt a person with a peanut allergy on a later flight, if they were to sit in that row and there was oil residue on the seat).

Here we go again, unless they allergy person plans on sharing her sandwich , her eating it isn't going to hurt them. The announcement shouldn't be ALL peanut products, that is just going overboard and the main problem.

 

[disneyshakeygirl]

But why should an elderly woman have to do this when eating a peanut butter sandwich isn't going to hurt anyone?

This is where the expressiveness come into play and what makes people not want to cooperate.

I believe this is what The View would call a Hot Topic.

Let's look at this logically:
The smell of peanut butter may not hurt anyone. We know this. The smell can cause discomfort and extreme distress. However, not everyone is caring/observant etc. If someone is not careful, and gets some of it on their hands, then wipes it on their pants or on the seat, then that means there are traces.

If some of the pb leaks and the person doesn't wipe it because they haven't noticed (it's happened), then that means there are traces. All of which can cause life threatening reactions. So, yes, there are big chances that a pb&j sandwich could hurt someone.

Unless you have extreme medical needs (like aubriee's mother), for the few hours that you are travelling, have some consideration. Let me put it this way: your life isn't endangered, but someone else's may be.

 

[Hannathy]

I believe this is what The View would call a Hot Topic.

Let's look at this logically:
The smell of peanut butter may not hurt anyone. We know this. The smell can cause discomfort and extreme distress. However, not everyone is caring/observant etc. If someone is not careful, and gets some of it on their hands, then wipes it on their pants or on the seat, then that means there are traces.

If some of the pb leaks and the person doesn't wipe it because they haven't noticed (it's happened), then that means there are traces. All of which can cause life threatening reactions. So, yes, there are big chances that a pb&j sandwich could hurt someone.

Unless you have extreme medical needs (like aubriee's mother), for the few hours that you are travelling, have some consideration. Let me put it this way: your life isn't endangered, but someone else's may be.

It will only hurt them if they ingest the peanut butter. Easily solved by wearing gloves when out of their seat. So why inconvenience a lot of people for something so easily solved by the 1 person directly involved?

That is what I don't understand, 1 person doesn't want to be inconvenienced but they can inconvenience a whole planeful of strangers.

 

[disneyshakeygirl]

It will only hurt them if they ingest the peanut butter. Easily solved by wearing gloves when out of their seat. So why inconvenience a lot of people for something so easily solved by the 1 person directly involved?

That is what I don't understand, 1 person doesn't want to be inconvenienced but they can inconvenience a whole planeful of strangers.

See, I am one of those allergy sufferers who pb will hurt if I touch it, taste it etc. So yes, it does not only hurt people if they ingest it. Please check before you say something like that. I wear gloves - no inconvenience.

I always say that it wasn't my choice to have these. If I could get rid of them, I would. Please, try to look at this from other's point of views. And often, it's not an inconvenience. To you it may be, but you cannot speak on behalf of all the passengers on the plane - have you ever met and talked to every single one of them? You do not know what they are thinking.

 

[goofy4tink]

Interestingly, they're not. Peanut allergies may seem hugely prevalent because people are so vocal about them but... would it surprise you to know almost twice as many Americans suffer from dairy allergies as from peanut allergies http://foodallergies.about.com/od/foodallergybasics/a/big_eight_fa.htm? It shocked me, given this thread and your daughter's friend's experience.

As the quoted poster knows I am , having dined and drunk with me - although never on a flight. I shouldn't HAVE to explain why I eat what I do or how I eat and dispose, and aubriee shouldn't HAVE to justify her mother's emergency snack.

But.....while dairy continues to be a huge offender, peanut residue is still a huge deal. It's when you can't see it. Now, I have eaten with you, and you don't seem to be a particularly messy eater. I doubt that you leave peanut butter residue on your seat or the immediate area, on the plane.

It will only hurt them if they ingest the peanut butter. Easily solved by wearing gloves when out of their seat. So why inconvenience a lot of people for something so easily solved by the 1 person directly involved?

That is what I don't understand, 1 person doesn't want to be inconvenienced but they can inconvenience a whole planeful of strangers.

And yet AGAIN.....if a child's gloved hand touches peanut butter, or oil, residue, and that gloved finger touches their eyes, nose, mouth...then there will be a reaction. What is it about that that you are having so much trouble understanding??

Basically, the vast majority of fliers will have no issue whatsoever. As I said earlier, but it seems to be continually ignored, is to please be careful with peanut butter out in public. If you choose to give your child peanut butter, on a plane, at the gate, in the parks, please try to be sure that peanut residue is not left behind. And that, people, is called common courtesy. I am not asking you to forgo peanut butter...but I am asking that you are careful with it. If you give that 4 y/o a pb sandwich, on the plane, please be sure to clean up after him. Don't expect the airline to clean...that doesn't happen.

It is up to each one of us to decide what works best for our family. But it would be nice if we could count on the courtesy of strangers to keep the surroundings free of allergens. Wipe down trays and arm rests after eating pb. Is that so hard to do??? Then, if someone boards on the next flight, with an allergy, it won't be so hard for the mom, or dad, to clean up the area..which I imagine they are going to do in any case.

If this thread continues to be a back and forth, debating who should get their particular rights, it will be closed down.