Peanuts on a plane

[disfan07]

I said this in a post I had started about Peanut allergies and flying...

I have a severe allergy to peanuts (if I touch something that has peanut residue and than eat something, it can kill me) but here's my opinion..

1) I don't care if you bring peanuts/peanut butter....but is it that hard to have a backup snack instead...it's that simple...if your are so selfish that you refuse to NOT consume penauts for a few hours...well...that says something else about you

2) If you do eat peanuts/peanut butter....wipe your hands. Take a couple of those handy dandy wipes with you in your purse and wipe your hands when you're done (and no one go on about the chemicals etc....they make ones that are NOT anitbacterial wipes so they don't contain those chemicals...go to whole foods and look...believe me i know...I am severely allergic to many chemicals and scents)

3) This is for those who ARE allergic to peanuts....take responsibility for your own allergy. As great as it would be for the entire world to care about your allergy, believe me, there are people who don't give a rats behind about whether or not something could kill you. If you have a penaut allergy, alert the airline. Bring your own wipes to wipe down your seat and for petes sake make sure you have benedryl adn an epi pen for EVERY 15 MINUTES you might need it!!

This is a situation where the people WITH the allergy have to be smart enough to know that no one else is looking out for them but themselves BUT, other people should be able to be understanding enough for a few hours to refrain from eating peanut products.

For the record, I only fly SWA, Jetblue adn Virgin America.

Jetblue does not serve peanuts at all and will make an announcement in the terminal before boarding (at least they have when I have flown)

Virgin America will refrain from selling anything that has peanuts in it and will also make an anouncement in the terminal before boarding.

SWA has very specific procedures about this. They require you to let them know when you make the reservation or when you check in (on the reservation online it has a place to check off peanut dust allergy). They give you a boarding card when you check in that says peanut dust allergy and you give that to the FA when you board and they take all peanuts off the plane. They have also always made an anouncement in the boarding area on my flights.

Also, on all 3 airlines, you are eligible to pre board so that you can wipe down your seats, tray table, etc before the mass boarding.

I fly on average 4 RT flights per year. I carry benedryl AND my epi pens with me. The number of epi pens i take depends on teh length of the flight. My allergist says you give an epi pen injection eveyr fifteen minutes after a reaction and she advises me to have enough epi pens for 1 1/2 to 2 hours when flying cross country (so I carry at least 6-8 epi pens with me...usually 8-10 because I just like to be extremely prepared like that..lol)

For me, the bigger concern is kids and peanut butter. I have been on so many flights where parents let their kids run up adn down the aisles touching everything. That's where the wipes are very useful.

And before anyone else says anything about being exposed to peanuts everyday, etc, etc. I know that. I dont live in a bubble. I odn't live in fear eveyrday that I'm going to touch something that will kill me. BUT, it is different when you are in a confined space 35,000 feet above the ground with no immediate access to medical care. I always fly extremely prepared BUT anything is possible and I know that when I get on a plane. I'm 20...I know about personal responisibility and that the only way I can ensure nothing will happen is to take care of myself but there are people who make that very very hard no matter how much I try.

 

[cruisingkat]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brenle
Unfortunately for us, a lady sitting in our row wasn't concerned about a peanut allergy. She chomped away on her peanut butter sandwich

.

Even after an announcement? Blah on her.

Before you "blah" the lady , did you ever think that maybe the lady had a medical condition that required her to eat and that was all she had?
I know that hubby takes a few medications and sometimes if he doesn't eat enough he will have a reaction - some of which can be as severe as those who have peanut allergy experience.

 

[TheWog]

I was trying to make a point indirectly but perhaps I need to be more direct...

Unlike most other allergies peanuts are highly dangerous (and most people know this). My DW is a school teacher and says the number of kids with peanut allergies is growing. Also, many parents do not know their kids are allergic until they have a reaction (the allergy is not necessarily genetic). And, unlike other environments, a plane is 30,000 ft in the air with no 911 option.

So there are two possibilities here: 1) the airline announces there is a child with a peanut allergy on board (so they serve some other snack) but some parent lets their kid eat pj sandwiches anyway. The kid at some point goes to the washroom (or something else) and the allergic kid comes in contact with the peanut residue. 2) a parent does not know their kid is allergic to peanuts but finds out the hard way on a plane in mid-flight. In either case the child could choke to death (an epipen only stops the reaction for about 15 minutes - usually enough time to get an ambulance or to emergency... not so on a plane).

So what I'm saying here is that as individuals, we can choose to forgo the peanuts while we fly. I love peanuts but can live without them for a few hours and am willing to make that sacrifice when I'm flying for the safety of all. (If there are other life-threatening allergies I knew about I'd do the same for those). I could just imagine the stress a parent of a child with peanut allergies must go through when flying. Can't we all try to make life a bit easier for them, after all no one chooses to have a life-threatening allergy. And no, saying they shouldn't fly isn't a solution.

BTW I witnessed a neighbor's child have a reaction and get dragged off in an ambulance after being kissed on the cheek by another child who ate a peanut butter cup a few hours earlier. It scared the hell out of me! That's why I am willing to save my peanut snacks til I get to my destination. Planes are a special case where if we all make a small sacrifice it will be safer for everyone. Seems like the Disney thing to do!

So everyone is supposed to live their lives around the possibility of someone having an allergy to something even the people closest to them, charged with caring for them, love them with all their hearts and know the most about them, but have absolutely no idea that this could even be a remote possibility of having? Don't you think that to be a bit extreme? Do you know the probability of that happening? I'm not trying to come off as sounding selfish, and maybe it does, if there were a real threat of course no one would want to harm a child/adult with an allergy, but in the off chance that one or more of the 150 people on your plane having this happen is so remote.

 

[TheWog]

I agree with you, Pirate Dad. I know we can all get sensitive about our personal freedoms and such, but come on.... I'd be glad to give up peanuts, wet wipes or anything else that could cause a life threatening allergy to a child on my flight.


June

The wet wipes examples above were used because of a peanut allergy.

 

[Lewisc]

Airlines could ban peanuts from all flights. Put a note to that effect in our confirmations. On our BPs. Passengers will know to bring alternate foods.

Airlines, and governent regulators, don't agree with you point.

I was trying to make a point indirectly but perhaps I need to be more direct...

Unlike most other allergies peanuts are highly dangerous (and most people know this). My DW is a school teacher and says the number of kids with peanut allergies is growing. Also, many parents do not know their kids are allergic until they have a reaction (the allergy is not necessarily genetic). And, unlike other environments, a plane is 30,000 ft in the air with no 911 option.

So there are two possibilities here: 1) the airline announces there is a child with a peanut allergy on board (so they serve some other snack) but some parent lets their kid eat pj sandwiches anyway. The kid at some point goes to the washroom (or something else) and the allergic kid comes in contact with the peanut residue. 2) a parent does not know their kid is allergic to peanuts but finds out the hard way on a plane in mid-flight. In either case the child could choke to death (an epipen only stops the reaction for about 15 minutes - usually enough time to get an ambulance or to emergency... not so on a plane).

So what I'm saying here is that as individuals, we can choose to forgo the peanuts while we fly. I love peanuts but can live without them for a few hours and am willing to make that sacrifice when I'm flying for the safety of all. (If there are other life-threatening allergies I knew about I'd do the same for those). I could just imagine the stress a parent of a child with peanut allergies must go through when flying. Can't we all try to make life a bit easier for them, after all no one chooses to have a life-threatening allergy. And no, saying they shouldn't fly isn't a solution.

BTW I witnessed a neighbor's child have a reaction and get dragged off in an ambulance after being kissed on the cheek by another child who ate a peanut butter cup a few hours earlier. It scared the hell out of me! That's why I am willing to save my peanut snacks til I get to my destination. Planes are a special case where if we all make a small sacrifice it will be safer for everyone. Seems like the Disney thing to do!

 

[design_mom]

SWA has very specific procedures about this. They require you to let them know when you make the reservation or when you check in (on the reservation online it has a place to check off peanut dust allergy). They give you a boarding card when you check in that says peanut dust allergy and you give that to the FA when you board and they take all peanuts off the plane. They have also always made an anouncement in the boarding area on my flights.

I do not believe they made the announcement in the boarding area for our flight in January. The announcement was made over the loudspeaker on the plane right after they finished the emergency procedures speech. The plane was already moving. It would have been nice if the announcement was in the boarding area though.

I will bring something else next time, and I wasn't "upset" about not being able to eat our PB&J...but I was inconvenienced. It would be nice if they made an announcement earlier (or better, put a "peanut-free flight" notice on the sign announcing the departure at the gate. Sometimes it's hard to hear the verbal announcements in an airport with lots of gates and ambient noise.) I am willing to give up peanut products to keep someone safe, and if I'd known ahead of time this time, I would have bought some sandwiches from a kiosk or something before boarding the flight -- and would have thrown the PB&J away so it wasn't even *on* the plane. Then, the peanut-allergy sufferer would have been safe *and* my family wouldn't have missed lunch.

 

[wezee]

I usually pack beef jerky for DH and I to munch on......I think it's safe as long as some sitting next to me is vegetarian or has a cow allergy.
PS....Seriously.....the small pack of cheese stick and jerky is a great alternative and does not need refrigeration.

 

[Pirate Dad]

So everyone is supposed to live their lives around the possibility of someone having an allergy to something even the people closest to them, charged with caring for them, love them with all their hearts and know the most about them, but have absolutely no idea that this could even be a remote possibility of having? Don't you think that to be a bit extreme? Do you know the probability of that happening? I'm not trying to come off as sounding selfish, and maybe it does, if there were a real threat of course no one would want to harm a child/adult with an allergy, but in the off chance that one or more of the 150 people on your plane having this happen is so remote.

Hey, do what you want. No one is telling you what to do or not do. I'm just saying flying is a special circumstance that warrants a bit of extra caution. If you feel it's your constitutional right to eat P&J sandwiches on a plane, then go right ahead. As for me, I'll keep my Oh Henry bar in the wrapper til I get off the plane. Honestly, I can go a few hours without peanuts.

Didn't realize it would be so traumatic for people to go without peanuts for 4 or 5 hours. Maybe we need to start a peanut addiction and dependency support group thread!

 

[Aquagirl]

I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, but are people who have a peanut allergy usually allergic to almonds or cashews? I realize that one is a legume and the others tree nuts, but I was not sure if those with severe allergies are allergic to both. Maybe an alternative would be to make a sandwich with cashew or almond butter in you need to take a sandwich on a plane.

 

[Lewisc]

I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, but are people who have a peanut allergy usually allergic to almonds or cashews? I realize that one is a legume and the others tree nuts, but I was not sure if those with severe allergies are allergic to both. Maybe an alternative would be to make a sandwich with cashew or almond butter in you need to take a sandwich on a plane.

The problem is almonds or cashews might be packaged in a facility that also processes peanuts. Some people are so sensitive that cross contamination is an issue.

The major issue is peanut dust and touching peanut. PB sandwiches aren't generally an issue.

 

[TheWog]

Hey, do what you want. No one is telling you what to do or not do. I'm just saying flying is a special circumstance that warrants a bit of extra caution. If you feel it's your constitutional right to eat P&J sandwiches on a plane, then go right ahead. As for me, I'll keep my Oh Henry bar in the wrapper til I get off the plane. Honestly, I can go a few hours without peanuts.

Didn't realize it would be so traumatic for people to go without peanuts for 4 or 5 hours. Maybe we need to start a peanut addiction and dependency support group thread!

I can go a few hours as well. Not the point. It is the scenario you created that is a bit far fetched. The likelihood of discovering your peanut allergy, (which does anyone else wonder why the last decade or so it seems everyone is now allergic to peanuts, I don't recall anyone in my school, friends, etc. ever being allergic to peanuts) on a flight to Disney World or anywhere else for that matter, is so minute that it would not happen. So keep your Oh Henry bar packaged up and short of a true allergic person on my flight, I'll crack open that tin of peanuts and enjoy.

 

[Brenle]

Before you "blah" the lady , did you ever think that maybe the lady had a medical condition that required her to eat and that was all she had?
I know that hubby takes a few medications and sometimes if he doesn't eat enough he will have a reaction - some of which can be as severe as those who have peanut allergy experience.

This woman had a grocery bag full of food. She was pulling out one thing after another. She even ate all of the snacks handed out during the flight.

 

[lugnut33]

Airlines could ban peanuts from all flights. Put a note to that effect in our confirmations. On our BPs. Passengers will know to bring alternate foods.

Airlines, and governent regulators, don't agree with you point.

Spirit could charge a peanut eating fee.


I kid, I kid!!

 

[Pirate Dad]

I can go a few hours as well. Not the point. It is the scenario you created that is a bit far fetched. The likelihood of discovering your peanut allergy, (which does anyone else wonder why the last decade or so it seems everyone is now allergic to peanuts, I don't recall anyone in my school, friends, etc. ever being allergic to peanuts) on a flight to Disney World or anywhere else for that matter, is so minute that it would not happen. So keep your Oh Henry bar packaged up and short of a true allergic person on my flight, I'll crack open that tin of peanuts and enjoy.

Medical research has shown a significant rise in peanut allergies over the past 20 years. Researchers estimate 1%-1.5% of the population is allergic to peanuts. (Check the medical research for yourself). So let's do the math... on a plane of 150 people there will be on average 1 or 2 people with a peanut allergy. That doesn't sound minute to me. But hey, screw everyone else and enjoy your tin of peanuts!

 

[Lewisc]

Medical research has shown a significant rise in peanut allergies over the past 20 years. Researchers estimate 1%-1.5% of the population is allergic to peanuts. (Check the medical research for yourself). So let's do the math... on a plane of 150 people there will be on average 1 or 2 people with a peanut allergy. That doesn't sound minute to me. But hey, screw everyone else and enjoy your tin of peanuts!

Many of those people only have an allergic reaction if they consume peanuts. Others only only have an allergic reaction if they touch peanuts. A smaller amount only have an allergic reaction if they breathe peanut dust. The few people who have an allergic reaction as a result of a passenger consuming a pb sandwich probably shouldn't be flying. They are at risk from a passenger consuming a granola bar or candy bar without realizing the product either contains peanuts or was mfg in a facility that has peanuts. The product could have been cross contaminated.

Your statistics are deceptive and misleading.

edited to add--People that allergic are also at risk from "contaminants" left by passengers on a previous flight. That risk can be reduced, but not eliminated, by booking the first flight of the day.


Population is around 300 million. Your statistics suggest 1 person in 3 million are allergic to peanuts. It's been a long time since my last statistics course but I'd be surprised if that translates to even one passenger on an average flight.

 

[Hannathy]

Many of those people only have an allergic reaction if they consume peanuts. Others only only have an allergic reaction if they touch peanuts. A smaller amount only have an allergic reaction if they breathe peanut dust. The few people who have an allergic reaction as a result of a passenger consuming a pb sandwich probably shouldn't be flying. They are at risk from a passenger consuming a granola bar or candy bar without realizing the product either contains peanuts or was mfg in a facility that has peanuts. The product could have been cross contaminated.

Your statistics are deceptive and misleading.

Agree 100%

 

[TheWog]

Medical research has shown a significant rise in peanut allergies over the past 20 years. Researchers estimate 1%-1.5% of the population is allergic to peanuts. (Check the medical research for yourself). So let's do the math... on a plane of 150 people there will be on average 1 or 2 people with a peanut allergy. That doesn't sound minute to me. But hey, screw everyone else and enjoy your tin of peanuts!

You got it. I will. As Lewis has pointed out your stats can be used to show anything.

Even using your numbers, the 1 to 2 of those 3,000,000 people who your words, don't even know they are allergic yet, have to decide to take a flight to the same destination, then decide on the same date that I go, then choose the same airline and then choose the same departure time, yes, that is minute. It is not a straight percentage correlation.

 

[junebugTN]

The wet wipes examples above were used because of a peanut allergy.

No, someone else mentioned that they had a severe allergy to the chemicals in wet wipes. That's what I was referencing.

This conversation -- when it doesn't get hateful and judgemental -- has been very informative to me. There were some good suggestions about alternate solutions and some good, first-hand info from allergy sufferers. So, for those of you that have contributed in a positive way to the conversation, I want to say thanks. I have learned quite a bit, and I appreciate you sharing your insight.

June

 

[twinklebug]

A person's right to eat peanuts or peanut based products is a very hot topic for the simple reason that back when most of us grew up, eating PB & J sandwiches was a right of childhood, and back then we never heard of peanut allergies. In the last 30 years we've changed our environment and our sensitivities. Peanut allergies are becoming more and more common and those of us without them are still left shrugging saying "I don't get it".

To compare: When I was a kid I had severe asthma (still do), but back in the 70s asthmatics were rare, severe ones even more rare. One of the worst allergy triggers for me was tobacco smoke. My dad was a smoker and although he was told numerous times that his smoking was hurting me he just couldn't understand how something he had grown up with as being acceptable and never hurt anyone could suddenly cause another suffering. I was fortunate that he loved me immensely, but even that wasn't enough to make him understand and stop. As such, I can understand the mentality society is having regarding peanut allergies.

As a personal choice, I will not open a peanut product in a public place because of the .000001% chance that there may be a person in the area who has that allergy. I do recognize how severe the reaction can be. I'd love it if others could understand the risk and do the same. I don't think anyone is intentionally trying to hurt anyone, but unless they experience it first hand, some people just won't be able to understand.

 

[Brenle]

A person's right to eat peanuts or peanut based products is a very hot topic for the simple reason that back when most of us grew up, eating PB&J sandwiches were a right of childhood and we had never heard of Peanut allergies. In the last 30 years we've changed our environment and our sensitivities. Peanut allergies are becoming more and more common and those of us without them are still left shrugging saying "I don't get it".

To compare: When I was a kid I had severe asthma (still do), but back in the 70s asthmatics were rare, severe ones even more rare. One of the worst allergy triggers for me was tobacco smoke. My dad was a smoker and although he was told numerous times that his smoking was hurting me he just couldn't understand how something he had grown up with as being acceptable and never hurt anyone could suddenly cause another suffering. I can understand the mentality society is having regarding peanut allergies.

As a personal choice I will not open a peanut product in a public place because of the .000001% chance that there may be a person in the area who has that allergy, and I do recognize how severe the reaction can be. I'd love it if others could understand the risk and do the same. I don't think anyone is intentionally trying to hurt anyone, but unless they experience it first hand, some people won't understand.

On behalf of all the allergy-suffering people in the world, thank you for caring so much.