Waiting to board our plane and....

[NHdisneylover]

I hope i am not repeating things--I have not finished reading yet (will now, wanted to quite while it is fresh in my mind)

What if there wasn't another flight? How much would you risk? That's where it gets tough. To me, your son's survival trumps my right to fly with my cat and that's how I think the hierarchy should go. Okay, could anyone die? They win. (That's tongue in cheek.)

In a perfect world, I agree that the airline should email passengers if someone with a known, serious allergy is flying so other passengers can make other arrangements (not brining peanuts on board, for instance). However, as we all know 1) in the hunt for cut rate airfare we give up amenities and the above costs money and 2) last minute flight changes happen and then you're in the same situation.

Though, legally in the USA, a guide dog cannot be denied due to allergies (no matter how severe). So in that case the government has decided that the need of the person with an allergy gets less accommodation than the need of someone who has a service dog for anything.
I always find that interesting--when we hear so much about peanut free things, etc---but the only legal thing I can find at all in fact put the allergy on a lower level than something else.

(I do not know what is right or wrong, but I do think advanced notices should be given whenever possible----people should have to request this at least 48 hours in advance and the airline can use the same system that they use to email me about flight delays to tell me about the nut free flight). Obviously, it will still occasionally come up with cancelled flights and missed connections, etc but hopefully not too often.

 

[TifffanyD]

If you were on oxygen and asked me not to smoke, I wouldn't find you selfish. If you were allergic to my cats and asked me to shut them up before you came over, I wouldn't find you selfish. You expressed a need to me and its not difficult for me to accommodate you. I assume, based on my own experiences, that you wish you didn't have to ask me and that by making a small accommodation that really doesn't matter that much to me, I can be kind to you. It's that simple. To me, refusing to accommodate someone in a small way to help their health is the absolute epitome of selfish.

Yes, I think the person making the request is selfish. If I was severely allergic to cats, I wouldn't walk into your house. I'd meet you at Starbucks or something.

Same deal with the peanuts. If I was severely allergic and planes a potential problem, I wouldn't take the chance. And I think people who do are nuts.

I also think that someone who doesn't comply with the peanut request is selfish... it doesn't have to be one or the other.

Anyways, glad your daughter is better.

 

[kamik86]

Exactly. I fly 4x a month and I can't remember the last time they served peanuts. All I ever get is pretzels. Regarding pregnant women flying, as long as they have a dr note stating they are ok to fly, the airline cannot deny boarding. Airlines have no idea how many weeks pregnant they are.

I fly pretty often, not as much as you anymore though... and every flight I have been on lately for SW they have served peanuts except a few where they had other stuff instead (the other stuff is generally like chips ahoy stuff and the little cheese crackers). I know I definitely got peanuts in May when I last flew.

 

[sersee05]

Yes many airlines allow cats and small dogs in the cabin. I've also seen a bee flying around. Can easily happen during boarding. I bet you will still fly though knowing this. Easy for you to just not be in a closed room.

Walk a mile in someone's shoes before you say you wouldn't fly if you or your child had an anaphylactic reaction to peanuts.

My point is that if your child is that severe ..why would you hope everyone would refrain from eating peanuts.

Considering I have had an anaphylactic reaction.. I know how dangerous they are...which leads to my point of why I personally would not risk it.

Oh and I don't fly on planes...so no your wrong that I would get on one anyway.

 

[Meriweather]

Are there really airlines that still give out peanuts to passengers? I can't remember the last time peanuts was a snack option on a flight for me. It's been years and years.

I have not been on an airplane that hands out peanuts in years......pretzels of a cracker mix thing....or nothing.
I would of course not eat peanuts if requested......but as a diabetic, that is my go to snack when traveling. Not necessarily peanuts, but any nuts.
Advance notice would be nice so people with other dietary needs could be prepared

 

[NHdisneylover]

Emailing in advance relies on people telling the airline. Never gonna happen. On our last flight we had the announcement during taxi-ing

I think it is fair and right to say that you cannot have the accommodation if you do not provide advanced warning (again, realizing sometimes there will be missed connections, etc, but the airline would still have had that advanced warning). I fully understand people needing this accommodation, but I think it is reasonable that they make an effort as well and plan ahead so as to minimize disruptions and allow others to prepare appropriate snacks, etc for themselves.

 

[Janet Hill]

I think the point is advise other passengers in advance and not at the gate.

My husband is a type 1 diabetic and always has nuts to eat while travelling. They are simple to carry and need no refrigeration. Let him know in advance and he would be willing to change his food. Tell him at the gate and he will probably be mad. His condition requires distinct food choices with carbohydrates being closely monitored. He too can have a life threatening situation if his meal plan gets altered drastically at the last minute.

 

[sam_gordon]

So people are inconvenienced. So friggin what. Is a passenger going to die if they don't eat a NUT for 3 hours? No. But the person allergic to nuts might. Anaphylaxis allergies can hit hard and fast. An epi pen buys me 15 minutes if I get stung by a honey bee. Show some mercy to our fellow man. Is someone seriously going to say his/her right to eat a NUT overrides someone's right to LIVE?

You are going to be in an enclosed tube with 150+ strangers for (your time) 3 hours. You are willing to trust 150+ that:
A) they were around to hear the announcement
B) they actually listened to the announcement
C) they understood the announcement (plenty of non english speakers fly)
D) they're willing to abide by the announcement

Fortunately, I don't have to deal with this. But it seems strange to me that if my child's (or my) allergy is so severe that they will die, that I would knowingly put their life in the hands of fellow passengers.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

I'm not telling anyone what they should or shouldn't do, but I gotta say that if me or a member of my family were so allergic to nuts that they might die from exposure, an airplane is the last place I'd be. To do otherwise seems like quite the gamble on EVERYTHING going exactly as needed.

 

[fly girl]

i have to admit, that I love peanuts on planes. the pretzals don't do it for me at all. and I don't have allergies. but to me this is a no brainer. ditch the peanuts, and an hour after you land, its forgotten. I don't even get why we are discussing this. its a nonissue except for the person that has the peanut allergy. come on people...you do whats right and decent. and we all know what the right and decent thing is here...don't we?

My family loves the peanuts too, but we will be just fine on a flight without them. It's not that big of a deal. Geez a loo.

How is it that airlines can restrict woman who are pregnant past a certain week from flying, due to risk of having to land from complications, but they can't restrict passengers with allergies? Why is one allowed and not the other?

It's typically restricted for international flights only after so many weeks. This is for safety of mom and baby. Increased chances for blood clots/thrombosis with prolonged sitting. And the obvious pre-term labor at 30,000ft over the ocean with no proper medical equipment. The expectants OBGYN would agree that flying after a certain point is not in the best interest of mother and child.

 

[3Gsandme]

Yes, I think the person making the request is selfish. If I was severely allergic to cats, I wouldn't walk into your house. I'd meet you at Starbucks or something.

Same deal with the peanuts. If I was severely allergic and planes a potential problem, I wouldn't take the chance. And I think people who do are nuts.

I also think that someone who doesn't comply with the peanut request is selfish... it doesn't have to be one or the other.

Anyways, glad your daughter is better.

Why shouldn't you come over if your needs are met by me stowing my cats? It's a simple kindness. Why can't I do that for you? It's nice. It's easy. It's not hard. It makes you comfortable and able to participate. Why shouldn't you be able to ask that?

That's the thing. In reality, this is not a difficult transaction. You tell me you need a simple accommodation to be comfortable and healthy and I make it. Ive never understood why it devolves into this. Of course there will be exceptions to the rule; a child who must eat and will only eat the allergen or a diabetic who can only control his or her sugar with the allergen but those situations are few and far between. Honestly, they're red herrings. I've just never understood this when its so simple.

I need you to help me by making a small accommodation for a few hours. I don't want to ask but it really is a matter of life or death or at least extreme discomfort and a medical emergency. You like peanuts, but it's really no big thing to not eat a snickers for a couple of hours and you say sure. You stow it in your bag and enjoy it later. That's it. It's done. Everyone is happy.

 

[Jon84]

I think it is fair and right to say that you cannot have the accommodation if you do not provide advanced warning (again, realizing sometimes there will be missed connections, etc, but the airline would still have had that advanced warning). I fully understand people needing this accommodation, but I think it is reasonable that they make an effort as well and plan ahead so as to minimize disruptions and allow others to prepare appropriate snacks, etc for themselves.

No airline will do this. They don't want the hassle of people complaining. I am sure they struggle with people not submitting API details before checking in too.

I agree with you that in an ideal world people would give notice etc. But we don't live in that world, most people are not as forward thinking as to advise their allergies.

 

[gwynne]

Why shouldn't you come over if your needs are met by me stowing my cats? It's a simple kindness. Why can't I do that for you? It's nice. It's easy. It's not hard. It makes you comfortable and able to participate. Why shouldn't you be able to ask that?

That's the thing. In reality, this is not a difficult transaction. You tell me you need a simple accommodation to be comfortable and healthy and I make it. Ive never understood why it devolves into this. Of course there will be exceptions to the rule; a child who must eat and will only eat the allergen or a diabetic who can only control his or her sugar with the allergen but those situations are few and far between. Honestly, they're red herrings. I've just never understood this when its so simple.

I need you to help me by making a small accommodation for a few hours. I don't want to ask but it really is a matter of life or death or at least extreme discomfort and a medical emergency. You like peanuts, but it's really no big thing to not eat a snickers for a couple of hours and you say sure. You stow it in your bag and enjoy it later. That's it. It's done. Everyone is happy.

No problem. The only issue I see is that you're 100% certain every single person on the plane will be kind and compliant. I'm not.
You are well within your rights to take as much or as little risk as you want or perceive. So am I. The "benefit" of faster travel would never outweigh the risk for me. But, it's a personal decision.

 

[3Gsandme]

I'm not telling anyone what they should or shouldn't do, but I gotta say that if me or a member of my family were so allergic to nuts that they might die from exposure, an airplane is the last place I'd be. To do otherwise seems like quite the gamble on EVERYTHING going exactly as needed.

I think this is another part of this debate when hyperbole comes in to play. I think those situations are very rare and, as posted in this thread, there's even scientific debate regarding the veracity of inhalation causing serious reactions.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I agree with you that in an ideal world people would give notice etc. But we don't live in that world, most people are not as forward thinking as to advise their allergies.

Then I do not feel they should be accommodated. Sorry. I know people with severe allergies. I also know people with diabetes who (as others posters upthread) usually have nuts on them as a high protein food item that travels well and needs no refrigeration. These people have a legitimate health need that can be really impacted by a last minute ban on nuts.

If you cannot be bothered to give advance notice, your need for accommodation must not be that great, IMO.

 

[fly girl]

Ok, I'm not an expert as I or no one in my family is allergic to nuts. But everyone keeps saying how is my granola bar/ pb&j / m&m's / crackers 15 rows away going to send a person into an allergic reaction?

It probably won't. Your snack rows away won't. But combine it with 100+ other people with peanuts and that risk goes WAY up. That's why they remove the peanuts onboard and ask you not to eat any you have. Do people still eat them? YES! No doubt they do. But by asking everyone to refrain it takes that risk way down. It's all about reducing the risk.

Personally, I don't see the big deal in going a couple of hours without a nut product, but that's just me. And I don't expect the airline to notify me because I don't think it's that monumental to go without -- and the airline already knows people are going to eat them anyway. They don't go through your belongings during boarding and take away your snacks! All they are trying to do is to provide a safe flight for all passengers.

 

[Mkrop]

If you were on oxygen and asked me not to smoke, I wouldn't find you selfish. If you were allergic to my cats and asked me to shut them up before you came over, I wouldn't find you selfish. You expressed a need to me and its not difficult for me to accommodate you. I assume, based on my own experiences, that you wish you didn't have to ask me and that by making a small accommodation that really doesn't matter that much to me, I can be kind to you. It's that simple. To me, refusing to accommodate someone in a small way to help their health is the absolute epitome of selfish.

But wouldnt you prefer as much advanced notice as possible, that is what many are saying. If it is not easy to remove your cats or clean your house properly then it would selfish of me to expect you to jump through hoops to accommodate me when I show up at your door. As has been pointed out many conditions rely on nuts or peanut butter so advanced notice is helpful. Announcing it at the gate may not be enough time for those who have special needs that are just important as the allergy person to make the changes. What if the person is in the bathroom when they make the announcement and has no chance to run to the store to get something else?

DS17 just flew out of JFK for a mission trip. The bus driver taking them there went a funky way and they barely made their plane. They had time to go to the bathroom and that was it. Now he had tons of snacks in his backpack, they did not fit in his suitcase. He handed out protein bars to his friends to eat, they had peanuts. Now he also had pringles and oreos but if did not hear the announcement bc of being late or being in the bathroom, he would not have had time to get something else. They were suppose to eat before the flight, that did not happen. The next time they were able to eat was at 1am when they got off the plane. Like I said he would be glad to go purchase something else if he has known. Now what happens if one of those kids was diabetic and had nothing else in his bag but nuts.

 

[3Gsandme]

No problem. The only issue I see is that you're 100% certain every single person on the plane will be kind and compliant. I'm not.
You are well within your rights to take as much or as little risk as you want or perceive. So am I. The "benefit" of faster travel would never outweigh the risk for me. But, it's a personal decision.

Yes. This is the rub and, trust me, after 14 years of dealing with a severe food allergy I do know that despite asking, people do not comply. It's always a fun day when you have to throw away all of your kids candy from a school party because a parent still sent peanut butter cups and you can't risk the cross contamination.

The question remains, of course, why small kindness are so difficult.

 

[Lisaloo]

Airlines don't make allergy announcements on a whim. I wouldn't feel "put out" by having to avoid peanut products for the duration of the flight to ensure a fellow passengers safety. My goodness, sounds like some people are more worried about fast pass tips and theme park strategies than human lives.

 

[3Gsandme]

But wouldnt you prefer as much advanced notice as possible, that is what many are saying. If it is not easy to remove your cats or clean your house properly then it would selfish of me to expect you to jump through hoops to accommodate me when I show up at your door. As has been pointed out many conditions rely on nuts or peanut butter so advanced notice is helpful. Announcing it at the gate may not be enough time for those who have special needs that are just important as the allergy person to make the changes. What if the person is in the bathroom when they make the announcement and has no chance to run to the store to get something else?

DS17 just flew out of JFK for a mission trip. The bus driver taking them there went a funky way and they barely made their plane. They had time to go to the bathroom and that was it. Now he had tons of snacks in his backpack, they did not fit in his suitcase. He handed out protein bars to his friends to eat, they had peanuts. Now he also had pringles and oreos but if did not hear the announcement bc of being late or being in the bathroom, he would not have had time to get something else. They were suppose to eat before the flight, that did not happen. The next time they were able to eat was at 1am when they got off the plane. Like I said he would be glad to go purchase something else if he has known. Now what happens if one of those kids was diabetic and had nothing else in his bag but nuts.

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.