Waiting to board our plane and....

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Don't fly! I honestly don't know what else to say.


I said from the beginning they are trying to reduce the risk. No one is going through your bags saying you can't eat it! So you either, comply and not eat peanut product or you don't. It's really that simple.


How providing an option for a diabetic person got construed into me not caring for anyone other than the allergic person was not my intention. I don't know how it got twisted into that -- esp when I repeatedly said no one was going to take away their food.

I didn't twist it in to anything. You have contradictions in your statements. You got defensive about me doing that.

I apologize if you think I think you would want a passenger to get sick.

You asked what you missed and I tried explaining that. I truly don't see how you can wear two hats in this. Either the products can be consumed or they can't. The announcements/policies are meaningless otherwise.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Of course. I understand all of this. I'm a rational, reasonable person. I'm sure your son is a good guy. I'd expect nothing less from a 17 year old on a Mission Trip.

There is an obvious difference between a kid running late for his flight, missing the announcement and depending on the snacks in his back pack for his dinner which do contain peanuts and a person who hears the announcement, had dinner, has time to replace the snack but wants to eat their Snickers because they can, dammit. Huge difference.

What is the difference to the passenger who may have a lethal reaction?

 

[CinderElsa]

I take a certain medication that must be taken twice a day, 12 hours apart, with food containing ~15 grams of fat. The only real on-the-go options are peanut butter and some types of cheese. If the airline waits to notify me until I'm at the gate, there is simply no other option but for me to eat the peanut butter I brought.

If my child's life could be endangered by the actions of strangers (some of whom will probably think it's funny to eat peanut butter around the child ON PURPOSE to prove that the allergy isn't really "such a big deal"), there is absolutely no way I would be flying. You can't control what other people do.

(As an aside - how did they deal with this type of thing from the time commercial airline travel began up until around ten years ago?)

 

[mefordis]

Am I the only one who sees a ban on all nut products on airlines coming in the near future?

 

[Planogirl]

Am I the only one who sees a ban on all nut products on airlines coming in the near future?

There'd be no way to enforce such a ban besides it could become a liability for the airlines. I don't see it happening.

 

[mefordis]

There'd be no way to enforce such a ban besides it could become a liability for the airlines. I don't see it happening.

Don't they already enforce this ban in some schools? I see a bigger liability in someone having an allergic reaction on the flight.

I am not saying I'm in favor of a peanut ban but I feel it will come to this.

 

[fly girl]

I read them all.

You asked what you were missing. That is what sparked this exchange. It is difficult to balance your comments of "it's only one flight" against please don't eat peanuts but if you have to do so.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding your expectation.

But it seems that this may be an airline issue in poorly handling peanuts than it is a passenger with a peanut allergy issue.

Sounds like the request is nothing more than a Cover their rear but it's only one flight so how hard could it be thing.

In another country a passenger was removed and banned from a flight for non-compliance.

Do you not see this coming to a US airline near you?

Because you can say all you like, but if the airlines truly did bit mind the peanut consumption, rheh would not make the request in the first place. If they did mind, they would have a better policy in place for that "rare occurrence" of a flight suggested peanut ban.

Whose to say Delta is flexible but US Airways won't kick the offending peanut eating passenger off the flight?

Whose to say a short 1 hour jaunt doesn't become 6-8 hours of delays in a metal tube?

In today's day and age, it seems airlines really aren't as accommodating as you suggest given that there are airlines that may not have food service at all.

Whose to say that with airlines charging for carry one that they don't start charging you from brining your one food from home?

Bring your own peanuts? $35.
Bring your own organic apple? $100.

That comment of what I was missing wasn't even directed towards you. But whatever...


I said in maybe my 10th post that all we are trying to do is reduce the risk. No one is forcing anyone into anything. And that nothing was 100% safe. I provided options onboard for those who needed alternatives (diabetic, guy no food all day) and wanted to comply. I only answered that when the question arose. I was trying to be helpful, but in exchange I was vilified as a person who cares less about diabetics.


No matter what I say you don't like it, so there's no point going further.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Okay get your flame throwers ready! Here I come!

Forget who has diabetes or hypo/hyper glycemia or any other health issue listed in the last umpteen pages here. If someone buys a plane ticket and they are allowed to bring food on the plane they are also entitled to a pleasant flying experience. For some that might mean reading a book and sipping a coffee. For some that might mean eating breakfast on the plane. For others that could mean eating tons of snacks. There is nothing stated when you buy your tickets that you can only have certain foods etc. Now honestly, if we were asked not to eat peanuts we wouldn't but I did pay for my ticket too to have a certain experience if you will. Shouldn't I get what I paid for as well? It's not that I am unsympathetic, I just don't understand why people think that just because others can fly, go to a particular restaurant, event etc. that means everyone should be entitled to. Yeah it stinks when you have to pass certain events up but that's life. My own kids have had to miss certain things because of allergies. WE took the personal responsibilty. We don't insist or even request that others accommodate us. Of course I am sure I will hear again that someone could die etc. and again, I would comply but I would have to wonder why on earth they wouldn't just chose a safer method of transportation.
Oh- and someone posted a list of foods that you can purchase from the airlines. There is only one option in all of it that someone in my family can eat due to allergies. So not a great choice for us. Also, buying 7 meals/snacks is expensive. We are not cheap but I am not interested in wasting that kind of money on airline food.

 

[fly girl]

I didn't twist it in to anything. You have contradictions in your statements. You got defensive about me doing that.

I apologize if you think I think you would want a passenger to get sick.

You asked what you missed and I tried explaining that. I truly don't see how you can wear two hats in this. Either the products can be consumed or they can't. The announcements/policies are meaningless otherwise.

I got defensive when you said I don't care about all passengers! That was ********!

 

[fly girl]

Because your do what you need to do statements contrast with statements such as this:



You do follow with they are just providing a safe flight for all passengers...

But you can't seem to understand why certain passengers may not have needs the airline can meet if asked to not eat their snack. Sure they can eat it--but when do US airlines start removing passengers who do so?

I know you aren't sharing airline, but there are many carriers, what you as a specific flight attendant on a specific airline would do may not be what another one would do.

I dont have a crystal ball to read into when that will change but right now no airline I know domestically is going to fine/arrest/kick you off for eating a peanut product on a peanut free flight. I'm going by current policy.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Am I the only one who sees a ban on all nut products on airlines coming in the near future?

Doubtful. Doing so would mean the airline is offering some kind of assurance that their flights are nut-free. Then, when there's an incident and someone has a reaction, the airline will be liable for not providing what they claimed they would. It's easier and safer for them to go the other direction with it and stop trying to accommodate peanut bans in the first place, making all flights at the passenger's own risk.

 

[fly girl]

I didn't twist it in to anything. You have contradictions in your statements. You got defensive about me doing that.

I apologize if you think I think you would want a passenger to get sick.

You asked what you missed and I tried explaining that. I truly don't see how you can wear two hats in this. Either the products can be consumed or they can't. The announcements/policies are meaningless otherwise.

They are not meaningless. It's reducing the risk. Most will comply. Some won't. The airline knows it.

Safety will always be #1. I'm in a Catch 22. I want to try and make sure the flight is peanut free but if you need it for health reasons than how I can deny you your safety? I can't. That's why I say eat it. But I gave alternatives as well so if you want to comply you can.

 

[3Gsandme]

What is the difference to the passenger who may have a lethal reaction?

I'm not judge and jury but intent matters to me. Maybe it doesn't to you.

As a parent who has dealt with a substantial allergy, someone apologetically saying to me that they missed the information is different than someone saying they knew and didn't care. Of course the outcome is the same, but I'd feel a whole lot worse if I thought it was malicious and careless.

One of those people are doing their best and one isn't. That matters, to me.

 

[mefordis]

On a related note, there have been news stories where both a nut allergic passenger was banned from a flight, and there was also an instance where an airline did ban a passenger for not complying with a peanut restriction on one of their flights. It was not a US airline though.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/t...sking-cabin-crew-not-serve-cashews-board.html

"....She suffered the reaction after a passenger opened a packet of mixed nuts he brought on the plane despite three warnings that there was a child on board with a severe allergy.

The young girl was given an injection with her adrenaline pen and taken to hospital after the plane landed.

Ryanair, which accommodated the family's request to not serve nuts to passengers, has banned the male passenger from flying with it for two years. "

 

[fly girl]

What is the difference to the passenger who may have a lethal reaction?

As many have stated its usually the dust from the peanut bags that's lethal. Not grandmas crackers. But to err in caution, airlines have opted to go peanut free.

I take a certain medication that must be taken twice a day, 12 hours apart, with food containing ~15 grams of fat. The only real on-the-go options are peanut butter and some types of cheese. If the airline waits to notify me until I'm at the gate, there is simply no other option but for me to eat the peanut butter I brought.

If my child's life could be endangered by the actions of strangers (some of whom will probably think it's funny to eat peanut butter around the child ON PURPOSE to prove that the allergy isn't really "such a big deal"), there is absolutely no way I would be flying. You can't control what other people do.

(As an aside - how did they deal with this type of thing from the time commercial airline travel began up until around ten years ago?)

And no one would deny you your peanut butter. But if you explained your situation to the flight attendants they would see if they had anything onboard that could accommodate if you wanted comply. If they didn't, it's ok. No one is trying to trump another in illness.

It used to be no peanut products in allergic persons row, plus 3 rows forward and aft.

 

[Domo]

I just wouldn't eat the peanut or peanut enhanced whatever.

 

[CanBeGrumpy]

Here is the peanut allergy policy from Southwest Airlines, copied from their website. I think it makes it clear that all they are willing to do is not serve peanuts themselves. They make the "please don't eat your peanut snacks" announcement to try to lessen the number of people doing so (as fly girl has stated); they do not forbid anyone from consuming the snacks brought on board by passengers. :


"Because it is nearly impossible for persons who have an allergy to peanut dust to avoid triggering a reaction if peanut dust is in the air, Southwest Airlines is unable to guarantee a peanut-free or allergen-free flight. We have procedures in place to assist our Customers with severe allergies to peanut dust and will make every attempt not to serve packaged peanuts on the aircraft when our Customers alert us of their allergy to peanut dust.

We ask Customers with peanut dust allergies making reservations over the phone to advise our Customer Representatives of the allergy at the time the reservation is made. If the reservation is made via a travel agent, the Customer should telephone 1-800-I-FLY-SWA (1-800-435-9792) afterward to speak with a Customer Representative. If the reservation is made via southwest.com, the Customer may advise us of the allergy on the "Southwest Airlines Payment and Passenger Information" screen by clicking on the link to "Add/Edit Disability Assistance Options."

We suggest that Customers with peanut dust allergies book travel on early morning flights as our aircraft undergo a thorough cleaning only at the end of the day.

We ask the Customer with the allergy (or someone speaking on the Customer's behalf) to check in at the departure gate one hour prior to departure and speak with the Customer Service Agent (CSA) regarding the Customer's allergy. Please allow enough time to park, check luggage and/or receive your boarding pass, and to pass through the security checkpoint. Our CSA will provide the Customer with a Peanut Dust Allergy Document and ask him/her to present the document to the Flight Attendant upon boarding. If the Customer has a connection, the CSA will provide the Customer with two documents, one of which should be retained to present to the Flight Attendant on the connecting flight.

Our CSA will advise the Operations (Boarding) Agent so that service of packaged peanuts can be suspended for that flight. Our Operations Agent will notify the Provisioning and/or Ramp Supervisor to stock the aircraft with a sufficient supply of pretzels or alternate snacks. The Operations Agent will also notify the Flight Attendants of the Customer's final destination and advise them that we cannot serve packaged peanuts until the Customer deplanes.

As some of our other snack items may contain peanut particles, peanut oil, or have been packaged in a peanut facility, Customers who have allergic reactions to eating/ingesting peanuts should read the ingredients on any packaged snack before consumption. Of course, all Customers are welcome to bring their own snacks with them.

Southwest cannot prevent other Customers from bringing peanuts or products containing peanuts onboard our flights. In addition, Southwest cannot give assurances that remnants of peanuts and/or peanut dust/oil will not remain on the aircraft floor, seats, or tray tables from the flights earlier in the aircraft's routing.

In addition, Southwest Airlines cannot guarantee that a flight will be free of other allergens such as perfumes, lotions, cleaning solutions, etc."

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I got defensive when you said I don't care about all passengers! That was ********!

My words were "you didn't feel it important to consider the needs of other passengers."

That was *my* interpretation of the synthesis of all of your posts.

I apologize for wording that caused you to infer I was saying you did not care. Given both sides you are trying to play followed by a suggestion (in jest I suppose with the upside down smiley), it is difficult to determine if all needs ARE being considered. Calling it whatever it was that got starred out is silly when you have made statements on both sides of the fence. But I didn't say you didn't care. I am struggling to see how you can say with confidence that the needs of a passenger with a dietary restriction WILL be met in the galley.

 

[Eastern]

Wow so many pages.

This does not include everyone of course, but anyone with children has got to know that peanut anything is usually a no-go for any public event. School, parties, picnics, camping, whatever.

Peanut allergies can be life threatening. Eat your snack now or save it until you get off the plane.

 

[mefordis]

Wow so many pages.

This does not include everyone of course, but anyone with children has got to know that peanut anything is usually a no-go for any public event. School, parties, picnics, camping, whatever.

Peanut allergies can be life threatening. Eat your snack now or save it until you get off the plane.

I do have kids and in my world the above only applies if you are sharing the food, not if it is for the individual. My girls can eat peanut butter at school as long as they don't sit at the allergy table. They cannot bring cupcakes for everyone that contain peanuts though.