Nut allergy on planes...very nervous.

[bumbershoot]

When I travel with my kids I take an enormous amount of food, all of it prepackaged in small servings for doleing out piecemeal -- normally an entire carryon full. We don't happen to carry peanuts, as DH is the only person in the family who likes them, but we do carry tree nuts. In addition to the almonds or cashews, I usually also have jerky, pretzels, crackers, cookies, and dried fruit, plus a supply of water. That's in addition to the sandwich meals that I take on most flights.

Such a good idea.

I would have lost my mind if I had sat next to flicking guy. The noise and visual of his hand going in the bag for every single peanut would have me teetering on the edge, but the flicking, OMG no. My own husband has a *must get residue off fingers* thing that I'm trying to quell b/c of my reaction to it, plus he does it with every bite, so seriously, what's the point. Eat the chips until you're done and THEN clean your fingers, or just use a napkin, stop with the weird finger movements.

And bumbershoot, I stood in your home airport a few weeks ago at 430am at the only place which way open in that satellite, trying to find something which would meet my needs at at the same time be 'nut-free', just in case. It's really tough sometimes!


And before someone calls me a poopyhead, I have often removed myself from a flight at my own time and expense if I think that my situation may cause others to be delayed. I don't think that the majority of readers or posters want to cause anyone harm, but if they don't have time to prepare and make arrangemets, the likelihood of someone doing so increases (whether intentional or inadvertent)

Well at least if you found something it was at "street" pricing.

Bavaria is not a poopyhead!

 

[livndisney]

Question for those that suggest bringing wipes to wipe everything down. What wipes are you bringing?

 

[DonnaL]

I was unaware Epi-pens are only useful for 15 minutes as another poster stated above. If that is indeed the case and if I had a child with such a severe nut allergy, I would be extremely wary of flying and assuming the plane would even be able to make an emergency landing, if needed, within a 45 minute to one hour span covered by 3 to 4 Epi-pens. I was recently on a flight from PHL to MCO which DID need to make a diversion landing due to mechanical problems and after the pilot announced to us we needed to turn back and land in Baltimore, he still needed to circle Baltimore National several times before he was cleared to land........we were still in the air over an hour AFTER he made the announcement we were turning around. And, even though we weren't told specifics of the problem, we did land with fire trucks all around us and were taken off the plane quickly.....so I'm sure we were given clearance as quickly as possible...... I would just not take the chance that in the event of a severe allergic reaction, the plane would be able to make an emergency landing in time.

 

[mmackeymouse]

Okay, I hate to seem rude or uncaring, but I want my peanuts, darn it!

But seriously, Southwest speaks to that traditional, nostalgic part of me that misses the ye old response of the best part of flying: "free peanuts." If they will not pass out peanuts, and I ask nicely, and promise not to open them, do you think they'll give me some peanuts, just for a return to my flights of childhood?

 

[JerseyMamaBear]

have you spoken with your doctor about it yet? It may be helpful to have his advise written out just in case.

 

[JLKennedy]

Because I don't have anyone in the family with "food allergies", I am pretty ignorant to the issue. Labels are there, residue is there...but I would be pretty pi$$ed if I was asked to go purchase non-peanut alternative snacks for in-flight snacking...has anyone priced airport food? Sorry, if all I have are the ritz peanut butter mini-crackers that my kids love and the announcement is just made, I have to admit, I don't know that I'd oblige, unless the person(s) with the allergies and/or the airlines offered to pay for the alternative. I am responsible for myself and my children, not everyone else's. It is their responsibility to make sure they do what they can to prevent the reaction, not mine. Again, I'm sorry if this seems harsh/rude and ignorant, but if it were my kids, you bet your bottom dollar, I'd be driving in my own car that I could be 100% sure is nut-free. If driving wasn't an option, I guess we'd be staying home unless I had my own Sesna...

 

[bavaria]

And to make things even more challenging... I love shopping in the UK (or at M&S) because it is easy to find the V without having to read labels and determine the ingredients (and translate them - even in English speaking countries they can use different words for the same items)

So I picked up a packet of Walkers Shortbread earlier today - butter, sugar, flour. Safe for me, and a staple of my 'plane food' as I always stop by a Red Carpet Club and stock up on a few packets when I am in America.

Well, I was shocked to see today that they too are marked 'not safe for nut allergy sufferers.' On at least six of my flights within North America last year passengers were asked not to consume anything manufactured in a facility with nuts. The list of items marked as such is very long, and it can be difficult to find something. I was very surprised to read it on the Walkers - I already knew that M&S ginger biscuits were 'out', but now I have to add another item to my list of what cannot be consumed if the announcement is made.

We cannot say it enough, but it is vital to call the airline and to ensure that announcements are made in the gate area so that people can make arrangements, if need be.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Not true, both AA and UA both serve nuts with cocktails in F class, once again no airline can guarantee that the plane is nut free.

American's nut mixture offered in first class does not contain peanuts; it consists of cashews, almonds, pecans and macadamia nuts. The poster you quoted mentioned that UA and AA don't serve peanut snacks. She is correct, at least with regard to American Airlines.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Typically, peanuts are removed from the aircraft entirely before departure to avoid accidentally serving them. It's unfair of you to ask a flight attendant to risk her job on the mere promise that you'll not open the bag until you're off the aircraft. You're a big girl. You'll fly again sooner or later and get your trip down memory lane.

Okay, I hate to seem rude or uncaring, but I want my peanuts, darn it!

But seriously, Southwest speaks to that traditional, nostalgic part of me that misses the ye old response of the best part of flying: "free peanuts." If they will not pass out peanuts, and I ask nicely, and promise not to open them, do you think they'll give me some peanuts, just for a return to my flights of childhood?

 

[prncess674]

American's nut mixture offered in first class does not contain peanuts; it consists of cashews, almonds, pecans and macadamia nuts. The poster you quoted mentioned that UA and AA don't serve peanut snacks. She is correct, at least with regard to American Airlines.

Per my statement I said the flight was not NUT free and as far as my science classes taught me there are more than one type of nut and other nut combinations. My posts all state that UA and AA are not NUT free. I know people that are allergic to hazelnuts and othe nut combinations.

 

[prncess674]

Because I don't have anyone in the family with "food allergies", I am pretty ignorant to the issue. Labels are there, residue is there...but I would be pretty pi$$ed if I was asked to go purchase non-peanut alternative snacks for in-flight snacking...has anyone priced airport food? Sorry, if all I have are the ritz peanut butter mini-crackers that my kids love and the announcement is just made, I have to admit, I don't know that I'd oblige, unless the person(s) with the allergies and/or the airlines offered to pay for the alternative. I am responsible for myself and my children, not everyone else's. It is their responsibility to make sure they do what they can to prevent the reaction, not mine. Again, I'm sorry if this seems harsh/rude and ignorant, but if it were my kids, you bet your bottom dollar, I'd be driving in my own car that I could be 100% sure is nut-free. If driving wasn't an option, I guess we'd be staying home unless I had my own Sesna...

I am with you!!! Everyone needs to be responsible for themselves and if my peanut butter crackers are going to have an effect on you 10 rows away then you really need not be on enclosed public transportation. I will not be stared at by other passengers for not soothing a crying child who is hungry and just so happen to only like PBJ sandwiches.

What does the OP do when dining in public restaurants? I am sure many restaurants serve nut products. Does she call and ask for a sealed off bubble table? How is the OP going to be assured that I won't be standing in front of her in line at WDW munching some peanut butter crackers?

 

[DVCBELLE]

I am with you!!! Everyone needs to be responsible for themselves and if my peanut butter crackers are going to have an effect on you 10 rows away then you really need not be on enclosed public transportation. I will not be stared at by other passengers for not soothing a crying child who is hungry and just so happen to only like PBJ sandwiches.

What does the OP do when dining in public restaurants? I am sure many restaurants serve nut products. Does she call and ask for a sealed off bubble table? How is the OP going to be assured that I won't be standing in front of her in line at WDW munching some peanut butter crackers?

I don't carry nuts on board for my kids - we take gummies but I would be very upset if their desired snack that I had packed was suddenly banned at the last minute.

A few years ago a child at my DDs school had a nut allergy. A note was sent home that we were not to feed our child peanut butter before sending them to school. The child was not in my child's class but they were on the playground together and this other child had once had a reaction on the playground when she got on the swing after a child who had eaten peanut butter at home for lunch. I know this sounds harsh but I think that is a ridiculos request to make of parents. I can respect not sending nuts to school but to dictate what my child can eat before going to school is really going too far. There were days my very picky 4 year old would ONLY eat peanut butter. In those cases, I fed her and then threw her in the tub before heading to school but we were late then as I didn't realize that would be the day only peanut butter would be okay.

If your child has reactions this severe to nuts then it is probably best in the case above to home school them or when traveling to drive instead of flying. My children's health would be the most important thing to me.

On the interesting side...I read a study recently that they have developed an allergy treatment for peanut butter which gives the children an extremely minute amount of peanut each day (an amount so small they say you could never create it yourself) and increase it each day until the child starts having reactions then back it up one step and give a child that pill every day. Increasing when possible. Now many children who once reacted severely to nuts in the air can now toelrate contact and parents are able to send them to school without constant fear that there will be a reaction at school. I sincerely hope this treatment gets clearance and is soon available to all children with nut allergies.

 

[inkkognito]

This reminds me of the big headline a few years back about the girl who had a peanut allergy and died after kissing her boyfriend who had eaten peanut butter earlier. At least that's what all the headlines claimed...funny how they didn't shout it from the rooftops when it was discovered later that she actually died of an asthma attack triggered by smoking pot.

 

[robinb]

Well, I was shocked to see today that they too are marked 'not safe for nut allergy sufferers.' On at least six of my flights within North America last year passengers were asked not to consume anything manufactured in a facility with nuts. The list of items marked as such is very long, and it can be difficult to find something. I was very surprised to read it on the Walkers - I already knew that M&S ginger biscuits were 'out', but now I have to add another item to my list of what cannot be consumed if the announcement is made.

Six times? It makes me wonder ... are people there really *that* sensitive that they could become ill sitting next to someone eating something without nuts, but manufactured in a facility with nuts? That sounds kinda ... nuts to me. I can see that they might become ill if they consumed it themselves, but just sitting next to someone else . My guess is that the airlines are now covering their butts with the most restrictive policy possible and the food manufacturers have already done the same thing.

 

[bavaria]

At least twice I heard the passenger make the request from the crew, but I agree that the other times may be CYA on the part of the airline. I did give UA some feedback and they were receptive/understanding of the challenges of balancing various needs.

And it wasn't all UA - at least twice was AC. But all were flights in/from America.

And the Lufthansa flight I mentioned earlier was not originating in Germany, or the response would not have been quite so polite, I imagine!

 

[robinb]

At least twice I heard the passenger make the request from the crew, but I agree that the other times may be CYA on the part of the airline.

So the passenger asked that nothing manufactured in a facility with nuts be eaten by other passengers? Wow.

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm going to go waaay out on a limb here and hopefully all will understand where I'm coming from. I think it's time for parents to take responsibility for their own kids. I know that there was a huge uproar at my dd's school when the school was thinking about completely banning peanut products at school. Other parents went nuts (pardon the pun!!). It wasn't enough that there was a peanut free table in the cafeteria....no, there were a couple of parents that wanted a complete, 100% ban on peanuts in the school!! So...in order to keep those 2 children peanut safe, every other child had to forgo their normal lunch. It didn't happen. The parents had to make do with the peanut free table and peanut free classrooms, but not the entire cafeteria.
There comes a time when the needs of a few do not outweigh the needs of the many. If my child had a life threatening allergy to peanuts (or any other common substance) you can bet I wouldn't be using any form of public transportation. Add to that the fact the once I got to my destination what was to prevent my child from touching a railing (say at Test Track) right after another child had touched it after eating peanut butter crackers?? You can never completely prevent that from happening.
If the reaction is going to be that bad, then the parent has to take actions to prevent it. You can not rely on strangers to keep your child safe. If you have to fly, then equip your child properly. If that means a mask, gloves and seat coverings, that's what you do.

But all this talk about keeping someone else's child 100% safe, at the expense of our own kids needs it getting a bit much. Yes, I will keep my pb products closed if asked to by the FA. I won't be happy, but I'll do it. But...do you really want to take the chance that someone else isn't going to comply with that request??? Not me. I would take complete responsibility for my child's wellbeing and safety...and not rely on the kindness of strangers to keep her safe.

 

[kydisneyfans]

I am with you!!! Everyone needs to be responsible for themselves and if my peanut butter crackers are going to have an effect on you 10 rows away then you really need not be on enclosed public transportation. I will not be stared at by other passengers for not soothing a crying child who is hungry and just so happen to only like PBJ sandwiches.

What does the OP do when dining in public restaurants? I am sure many restaurants serve nut products. Does she call and ask for a sealed off bubble table? How is the OP going to be assured that I won't be standing in front of her in line at WDW munching some peanut butter crackers?

I agree here too. Why expect a flight of 100-200 passengers to change what is normally done to accomodate your family when you had other options available for non-nut serving transportation, including your own. If my child were allergic, we would be driving our own vehicle, or taking transportation on an airline that does not serve the product the child is allergic to.

Disney is filled with nut and nut dust areas. PB&J is served in most counter serve restaurants. Families take peanut butter sandwiches and eat those on park benches. I have seen peanuts eaten in shows and on many slow rides.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Interestingly, peanuts aren't nuts. They're legumes. From wikipedia* "Well-known legumes include alfalfa, clover, peas, beans, lentils, lupins, mesquite, carob, and peanuts."

Are peanut-allergic people also allergic to other legumes?

*source used for ease of access; I'm aware that anybody can change any information posted there, but nobody can change the definition of what is or isn't a legume

 

[mc'smommy]

My 7 year old has severe nut allergies and we'll be flying on Saturday morning to Orlando on Southwest. I understand that we can tell the people when we check in and they will serve pretzels instead of nuts but I am still very nervous. I know people are allowed to bring food on planes. Airborne peanut dust can cause a reaction. Have any of you been on a flight with someone with this sort of allergy? Do they make any kind of announcement and request that food with nuts not be opened? Do passengers tend to get rude or frustrated about this? I am not the kind of person that looks for any kind of special treatment but if a reaction is bad enough that he will need an epi-pen injection the plane would have to land right away and we'd have to go to the emergency room. This is not a comfort issue but a serious health concern.

Any comments or suggestions? Should I worry about this? Am I being unreasonable to expect everyone on the plane to cater to one person's allergy? thanks!

I traveled last year on Southwest with my girlfriend our daughters, her child has a peanut allergy, once we were at the gate, we notified the Rep... She made sure we were first in line and asked that we take the first row of seats on the plane....after everyone was on board, they made an annnouncement
somethig to the effect that there was a child (they did not center out the child ) on board the plane who was highly allergic to peanuts, and would like for the passengers to refrain if at all possible from eating such snack...
there was no backlash, ....the staff was great about it..