Flying with peanut allergy

[Arenita]

I was on a SW flight when they picked up the peanuts after serving them. They made a quick announcement that there was a peanut allergy issue and and they moved quickly through the cabin collecting the peanuts. Pretzels were then served. I have also been on a SW flight where they announced the allergy before service began...and served pretzels instead.

Good luck!

 

[dsneygirl]

We have flown SW many times and our last trip was the 1st I remember them saying they were not serving peanuts and to please refrain from eating them if you have brought them on board.

 

[design_mom]

From what I have been told by SW corporate, it's technically against SW policy to ask people not to consume peanut products that's they've brought on board. I think they will serve the pretzels if they know there's an allergy aboard, but it if a passenger specifically asks for peanuts, policy says that the attendant should serve that person peanuts. In short, it sounds like their official policy does not guarantee a peanut-free flight although some flight crews may be more accommodating than others.

 

[2tinkerbell]

I have flown SW numerous times when they have announced a peanut allergy and served pretzels instead. Personally I have no problem with it.

The only time I have an issue is when flying with DD, who has neurological deficits. She has had a PB sandwich everyday for lunch since she was about 2 years old. It is her go to, easy, predictable lunch. It causes anxiety if she has to have something else and when traveling, anxiety is already high. She will take her sandwich in a baggie in a container. I instruct her to not take the whole sandwich out of the baggie. We are liberal with Wet Wipes. We make sure it is okay and the FA makes sure it is okay with those around us. Her need is clearly in conflict with someone elses need. My DD has lived with someone with a peanut allergy and knows what to do to clean up, and to not purposely sit with her friend with the peanut allergy while eating her lunch.

Before I get flamed: my DD has anaphalxis with bee stings. We can't avoid going outside to avoid the possibility that a bee might fly by. In fact, she waters the flowering pots on our patio everyday and bees are always present. She was playing soccer and a bee stung her on the shoulder. She got her EpiPen out and self administered it and then informed the adults that she needed medical attention. She knows that she can't ever be a bee keeper.

There is only so much that one can do and only so much that airlines can accommodate.

 

[LilyWDW]

From what I have been told by SW corporate, it's technically against SW policy to ask people not to consume peanut products that's they've brought on board. I think they will serve the pretzels if they know there's an allergy aboard, but it if a passenger specifically asks for peanuts, policy says that the attendant should serve that person peanuts. In short, it sounds like their official policy does not guarantee a peanut-free flight although some flight crews may be more accommodating than others.

Honestly, it would be stupid of SW or any airline to "guarantee" a peanut free flight as it is pretty much impossible for them to control all possible contamination. I mean, unless they were going to search everyone boarding and make everyone wash their hands before they got on the flight. All they would need is one reaction and they would be sued in a second because their "guarantee" failed.

 

[Gracie09]

I just really wish airlines would announce before boarding when people are sitting at the gate that it's a peanut or nut free flight. I too often travel with pb&j for my girls because it's protein that doesn't have to be refrigerated and they will eat it (also no heavy odor). If they announce it before hand I can either have them eat it before they get on the plane and wash up, have the option of grabbing something else either a kids meal or a heavier snack depending on the time of day. I wouldn't give my child the pb&j on a peanut free flight and I usually have other snacks and give up mine if they are still hungry. It just seems like it's simple to do and would solve some of the complaints from other passengers.

 

[Kellykins1218]

I just really wish airlines would announce before boarding when people are sitting at the gate that it's a peanut or nut free flight.

Some of us with special needs kids have very little (or no) choice in what proteins we can give them. I can't NOT feed my child and once we're on the plane it's too late. Plus, if it's a long flight there's nothing we can do except let them know we need to be as far away from the allergic person as possible.

 

[design_mom]

I just really wish airlines would announce before boarding when people are sitting at the gate that it's a peanut or nut free flight. I too often travel with pb&j for my girls because it's protein that doesn't have to be refrigerated and they will eat it (also no heavy odor). If they announce it before hand I can either have them eat it before they get on the plane and wash up, have the option of grabbing something else either a kids meal or a heavier snack depending on the time of day. I wouldn't give my child the pb&j on a peanut free flight and I usually have other snacks and give up mine if they are still hungry. It just seems like it's simple to do and would solve some of the complaints from other passengers.

That's actually how I found out about SW's peanut policy. We booked a noontime flight when my kids were toddler/preschool age. I'd planned for the kids to eat on the plane (keep them busy) and had packed peanut butter. It doesn't have to be refrigerated. Contrary to other peanut-butter-on-plane threads, I always found them to be something my kids could eat with minimal mess. Allergies never crossed my mind.

Once we were in the air, they announced that there was an allergy on board and asked passengers to refrain from eating peanut products. I didn't give my kids their sandwiches (I don't want to kill anybody), but I had some very hungry and grouchy kids by the end of the 3 hour flight.

I contacted SW to politely suggest that they should consider announcing the peanut-free flight BEFORE boarding, while people still have an opportunity to purchase something else (win/win, right?) That's when they told me that they don't announce it before-hand because they don't offer peanut-free flights--and that it was against policy for the flight crew to ask passengers not to eat the food they brought on board. Personally, I won't take peanut butter on board again anyway, but....

 

[Gracie09]

That makes no sense because that is pretty much what they do. Except they do it while people are already on the plane. Its easy to say we have a passenger with a peanut allergy on flight ###. We will not be serving peanuts and ask passengers to refrain from eating them while on the plane. Isn't that basically what is announced on the plane.

That's actually how I found out about SW's peanut policy. We booked a noontime flight when my kids were toddler/preschool age. I'd planned for the kids to eat on the plane (keep them busy) and had packed peanut butter. It doesn't have to be refrigerated. Contrary to other peanut-butter-on-plane threads, I always found them to be something my kids could eat with minimal mess. Allergies never crossed my mind.

Once we were in the air, they announced that there was an allergy on board and asked passengers to refrain from eating peanut products. I didn't give my kids their sandwiches (I don't want to kill anybody), but I had some very hungry and grouchy kids by the end of the 3 hour flight.

I contacted SW to politely suggest that they should consider announcing the peanut-free flight BEFORE boarding, while people still have an opportunity to purchase something else (win/win, right?) That's when they told me that they don't announce it before-hand because they don't offer peanut-free flights--and that it was against policy for the flight crew to ask passengers not to eat the food they brought on board. Personally, I won't take peanut butter on board again anyway, but....

 

[cjbcam]

It seems simple... If there is an announcement before boarding that there is a person on the flight with a peanut allergy I think most people would be more accommodating but to ask people on a flight to accommodate after when they can't pick something else up shouldn't happen.

 

[design_mom]

That makes no sense because that is pretty much what they do. Except they do it while people are already on the plane. Its easy to say we have a passenger with a peanut allergy on flight ###. We will not be serving peanuts and ask passengers to refrain from eating them while on the plane. Isn't that basically what is announced on the plane.

She told me that it was against their policy to announce it at all. It shouldn't have been announced before and it shouldn't have been announced during the flight. It *was* announced during the flight (and apparently on other flights, too), but according to the lady I spoke to that was a breach of policy.

 

[mistysue]

Honestly, I think among the reasons they don't announce it before is they don't want to be allergy friendly. Yes, it can create customers, but no company wants to intentionally attract the people who are more difficult. Look at Disney, they became known for their GAC and being so allergy friendly, and now people with all sorts of needs are flocking to them in droves. The rate of people with needs at Disney is way out of line with the numbers in a regular town, and it's hit a critical mass where nobody wins because there are too many needs to meet.

Plus then you run into the other issue already brought up here the "my kid eats peanut butter every day, so her need for a less stressful regular lunch is just as important as your not having an allergic reaction." Nobody wants to jump in the middle of that argument, and I can tell you right now it would end with the allergy person realizing they can't fly because there are people who just plain don't care if they put your life at risk if it is an inconvenience to them.
*I know that it's really important to eat something that avoids stress for somebody with cognitive disabilities, I am not belittling that in any way. Before it even goes there, I already know we are likely going to have to agree to disagree with that one. I will never see how lowering one person's stress is as high a priority as not risking another person's life.

 

[spacecanada]

With extremely sensitive and airborne peanut and tree nut allergies, we've been warned to avoid several airlines who serve peanuts and/or tree nuts as their regular snack. The onboard announcements DO help, and knowing that the flight attendants are aware of the allergy is reassuring. You can request the gate staff to make an allergy announcement as well, and a few will do it, but most won't. That's a really great idea and I'll be more conscientious to ask them to do this on every flight so people have time to get other snacks, if needed.

We also try to bring extra snacks for people seated near us who may have brought a nutty snack and would like an alternative. If I hear someone near me complaining or denying their child their snack due to the allergy, I'll offer them some other snacks. I don't want to inconvenience anyone, and we don't vacation often as a result, but sometimes it's going to happen.

WestJet is our preferred airline because none of their onboard snacks contain blatant nuts or peanuts, they make announcements before the flight, and every single flight we've had with them (save code shares) the flight attendants have asked me for the location of my EpiPens. (They also have some in every onboard medical kit, kudos to them.)

As for the OP, or anyone with allergies flying with an airline that serves nuts/peanuts, I would recommend an early flight, to minimise the allergen residue on surfaces, as planes are typically given a thorough cleaning at night. Call the airline at least two weeks before your flight to inform them of the allergy so they can flag your file and make any announcements or change the onboard snack. Be sure to remind the gate attendant and flight attendant of any accommodations you were promised, such as a different onboard snack. Board early to wipe down the surfaces. Wear long pants and shirt sleeves to minimise skin contact with the seat. Try not to eat on the plane if possible. If you must, thoroughly wipe hands before eating and choose snacks with packaging you can hold onto whilst eating, like granola bars or fruit bars. Have your EpiPens on your person or in the bag under the seat in front of you, not in the overhead compartment.

Have a safe and fun holiday!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I have flown SW numerous times when they have announced a peanut allergy and served pretzels instead. Personally I have no problem with it.

The only time I have an issue is when flying with DD, who has neurological deficits. She has had a PB sandwich everyday for lunch since she was about 2 years old. It is her go to, easy, predictable lunch. It causes anxiety if she has to have something else and when traveling, anxiety is already high. She will take her sandwich in a baggie in a container. I instruct her to not take the whole sandwich out of the baggie. We are liberal with Wet Wipes. We make sure it is okay and the FA makes sure it is okay with those around us. Her need is clearly in conflict with someone elses need. My DD has lived with someone with a peanut allergy and knows what to do to clean up, and to not purposely sit with her friend with the peanut allergy while eating her lunch.

Before I get flamed: my DD has anaphalxis with bee stings. We can't avoid going outside to avoid the possibility that a bee might fly by. In fact, she waters the flowering pots on our patio everyday and bees are always present. She was playing soccer and a bee stung her on the shoulder. She got her EpiPen out and self administered it and then informed the adults that she needed medical attention. She knows that she can't ever be a bee keeper.

There is only so much that one can do and only so much that airlines can accommodate.

The great majority of those with peanut allergies are affected only by actually ingesting peanuts, not smelling them, not touching them, not looking at them (), etc. All of this paranoid avoidance is totally unnecessary except for only the tiniest number of those with peanut allergies.

Someone eating a peanut butter sandwich on a plane is not going to affect a passenger with peanut allergies, as long as they don't share their meal or exchange saliva. Peanut butter doesn't become airborne.

Edited to add, I am referring to the issue of eating a peanut butter snack on a plane and how it will not affect someone with a peanut allergy on the same flight.

 

[DisSarahK]

My son is allergic to tree nuts and peanuts. However he does not have an airborne allergy--a passenger across the plane eating nuts will not impact him. What will impact him is if the passenger who sat in his seat on the prior flight ate nuts&because my son is a small boy who is an expert at putting his hands all over his face and mouth despite my years of cautioning him not to do this.

We still go on vacations and we still go on airplane flights. I just wipe down the seat as best as I can and I typically have him wear long sleeves and long pants. He always gets the window seat and I always sit next to him. When he uses the tray table, I always put a napkin over the top of it or he eats on top of a coloring book or magazine.

Always travel with multiple epi-pens, even if at home you typically only have one set of them in your bag. A flight might not get you to the ground in time for life-saving measures to be taken.

 

[laughinplace199]

My son is allergic to tree nuts and peanuts. However he does not have an airborne allergy--a passenger across the plane eating nuts will not impact him. What will impact him is if the passenger who sat in his seat on the prior flight ate nuts&because my son is a small boy who is an expert at putting his hands all over his face and mouth despite my years of cautioning him not to do this.

We still go on vacations and we still go on airplane flights. I just wipe down the seat as best as I can and I typically have him wear long sleeves and long pants. He always gets the window seat and I always sit next to him. When he uses the tray table, I always put a napkin over the top of it or he eats on top of a coloring book or magazine.

Always travel with multiple epi-pens, even if at home you typically only have one set of them in your bag. A flight might not get you to the ground in time for life-saving measures to be taken.

My DD14 is also allergic to nuts. When she was little, I used to bring a fitted twin size sheet on the plane. After wiping her seat down, I'd put the sheet over her seat. It worked really well.