Waiting to board our plane and....

[Mkrop]

This is why I love flying virgin air

https://www.yahoo.com/travel/airlines-and-nut-allergies-95399512052.html

Is it really that hard from eating nuts on a plane.

Most people dont find it that hard IF they they are given notice to bring something else especially those with their own medical needs.

 

[fly girl]

I surrender. No matter what is said either you'll agree or disagree. And that's ok.

And what if the available options in-flight aren't suitable for a person? What if they are not only diabetic, but have celiac disease, are allergic to oranges, and eat kosher?

If a person has been responsible to bring along foods that are suitable for their needs, whatever their reasons (health, religious, allergies), then they should be able to eat them.

So many people are saying that non-allergic folks have other available food options; well, allergic folks have other travel options.

I've said the airline knows peanuts will be consumed. They know you will do what you have to do. And they're not going through your carry on taking it away!

 

[HannaBelle]

And my mother is diabetic and carries peanut butter crackers around with her to accommodate HER health needs. Why does one person's needs trump others?

Yes, there has to be another way to ensure that other passengers aren't put out. If one has a severe allergy that needs accommodation such as no nuts on the plane, then they need to alert the airline when making the ticket purchase and the airline needs to alert the fellow passengers- not day of, but in advance so they can plan their food needs accordingly. In the age of internet, there shouldn't be much of a problem making this a reality.

I completely agree that there is NO reason an airline cannot communicate this information as soon as they are made aware of it. I have no issue not eating peanut butter for a few hours, just chose something else. That is not a viable option if you are not told until right before boarding.

As for you mom and her medical needs, there are literally 1,000's of other snack options for her to choose from. The point should be that she would need to know BEFORE departure so everyone can be accommodated. Of course, this is assuming that the airline is made aware of the information before departure. It is a bit ridiculous for a family to show up 30 minutes before boarding announcing a life threatening allergy. That is on the parents.

 

[HannaBelle]

This announcement is more and more common. I don't find it to be a problem as my eating a peanut butter sandwich or some peanut M&Ms is not important enough to risk someone else's health over. If you're bringing food onto the flight, it's easy enough to bring something other than peanuts - a bagel or muffin, a salad, a grab and go sandwich from the airport etc.

In elementary school my DD had several classmates with severe nut allergies. There were a few parents who made a stink about not being able to send pb&j for lunches. I have to say I thought it was very selfish of them. Can you imagine sending your child off to school every day having to depend on other people following the rules in order for them to be safe? I am just grateful that DD doesn't have allergies!

My older brother had his son moved out of the "peanut free" class because his son could not eat anything else for lunch. It was absurd.

 

[PollyannaMom]

If the announcement was made, I would avoid eating peanut products on the plane. (In fact, I always try to make sure some of the snacks I pack are peanut-free just in case this happens to us.) But I wouldn't say it's "nothing" either. The snack with protein (ex: a peanut-filled granola bar) is going to hold off hunger and crankiness a lot better than the one without (ex: fruit snacks). - Isn't that why airlines started serving peanuts in the first place?

So while I'm lucky enough to be able to pull out the fruit snacks and suck up the small inconvenience because the other person's need is greater, I also see the side of a diabetic who can't do that. Therefore, I do think they should give more advance notice than at boarding --- or if an emergency makes that impossible, some sort of "Please come up to the desk if this influences your own medical needs" announcement following the first one. Then the airline would at least have a heads-up if a passenger might need something else before the in-flight service.

I'm curious, though - why aren't flights randomly labeled "peanut-free" or "peanut-approved" up front, so you pick the flight you need/prefer before you even buy your ticket? That way, people with allergies could be more secure in knowing that they were flying with people aware of the peanut restrictions, and people with other health needs could avoid being caught in the middle.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I've been vegetarian/vegan for 17 years which, thankfully, means that my dietary restrictions are by choice and not because of a life-threatening allergy. But, what I've learned over the past 17 years is that people have no clue what's in the food they're eating, how to read labels, or how to properly accommodate dietary restrictions. I can't tell you how many times someone has offered me something claiming it was "safe" when it wasn't. Many people seem to only recognize the offending ingredient when it's in it's most obvious form, i.e. "I can't see any meat or cheese, therefore it must be vegan." There is no way I would trust 150+ strangers to keep me safe from deadly allergens, and that's assuming they all heard, understood, agreed, and remembered to comply with the announcement in the first place.

Ever notice how many food labels say "This was manufactured in a facility that also processes..." or "May contain trace amounts of..." Those production lines are cleaned and sanitized in accordance to food safety standards when switching from one product to the next and yet, the companies are so concerned that somewhere an allergen particle has become trapped in the groove of a screw on the conveyor belt which will end up contaminating the next product that rolls by and kill someone, that they won't risk the liability of claiming their food is 100% safe, so they put that disclaimer on the label. They don't want the liability. And, I imagine, that's where the airlines will end up. They can't guarantee every passenger will comply, that every surface is free of peanut residue, or that every air duct is clear of particles, so they won't even try to assume that liability. Flying will become "at your own risk."

ETA: If you are deathly allergic to cats, just don't come to my house. I'll meet you at Starbucks. I could drop my five cats at a friend's house, spend the week prior to your visit wiping down the walls, scrubbing the floors, cleaning all the surfaces, laundering all the fabrics, vacuuming the vents, changing the air filters, and putting on brand new articles of clothing straight out of the bag just before you arrived, but I still wouldn't be confident that there wasn't cat dander lingering somewhere. It's just impossible to make those assurances. I doubt an airplane would get one tenth that level of cleaning between flights.

 

[aprilchem]

I haven't read all of the pages of posts here, and I'll start off by saying that I would happily comply with this request.

But I think there would be another option - I am a professional chemist and am deathly allergic to one particular chemical. It happens to be found in a lot of things, including some adhesives and some paints. When I know I might come into contact with it, I just wear a half-face respirator. I have one that I keep with me that has special filters that will filter out all environmental contaminants. It's not pretty, but it keeps me alive.

If I were the parent of a child with a severe allergy, my kid would be wearing the half-face respirator the whole flight. It's a sure solution to keeping them safe.

 

[undertheradar]

If the announcement was made, I would avoid eating peanut products on the plane. (In fact, I always try to make sure some of the snacks I pack are peanut-free just in case this happens to us.) But I wouldn't say it's "nothing" either. The snack with protein (ex: a peanut-filled granola bar) is going to hold off hunger and crankiness a lot better than the one without (ex: fruit snacks). - Isn't that why airlines started serving peanuts in the first place?

So while I'm lucky enough to be able to pull out the fruit snacks and suck up the small inconvenience because the other person's need is greater, I also see the side of a diabetic who can't do that. Therefore, I do think they should give more advance notice than at boarding --- or if an emergency makes that impossible, some sort of "Please come up to the desk if this influences your own medical needs" announcement following the first one. Then the airline would at least have a heads-up if a passenger might need something else before the in-flight service.

I'm curious, though - why aren't flights randomly labeled "peanut-free" or "peanut-approved" up front, so you pick the flight you need/prefer before you even buy your ticket? That way, people with allergies could be more secure in knowing that they were flying with people aware of the peanut restrictions, and people with other health needs could avoid being caught in the middle.

Imagine if the "peanut-free" flight were more expensive or was at a better suited time for the one with the allergy? Too many chances for increased outrage. Imagine if there were a "peanut-free" airline. They would ban all tree nut products from the aircraft. I'm sure that such an airline would cost more to fly on and those who demand the peanut-free flights would be upset at the idea they should pay for the service.

 

[SirDuff]

And what if the available options in-flight aren't suitable for a person? What if they are not only diabetic, but have celiac disease, are allergic to oranges, and eat kosher?

If a person has been responsible to bring along foods that are suitable for their needs, whatever their reasons (health, religious, allergies), then they should be able to eat them.

So many people are saying that non-allergic folks have other available food options; well, allergic folks have other travel options.

I actually had that problem on a flight. They didn't announce anything until we were on the plane (the family didn't say anything until then - as I heard them talk to the flight attendant). It was a four hour flight and I had a peanut related snack. I'm not diabetic but was hungry. I am celiac and allergic to milk proteins. There was nothing with protein that I could eat from the on-board food (including the first-class meals). I didn't die but I was rather miserable (and ended up with a major headache - which happens if I don't eat). Had I had prior notice, I could have likely found something in the airport (still hard, but more likely than on the plane). I had an actual bag of peanuts, so I really couldn't risk opening them (had I had a granola bar or something, I might have moved as far away as possible and eaten it and then washed up).

 

[mondragon]

Most people dont find it that hard IF they they are given notice to bring something else especially those with their own medical needs.

Who is going to notify every passenger. Airlines do not have time to do this. This is what I think airlines should do. When purchasing the ticket, have a popup/announcement come up asking travelers not to bring snacks containing nuts due to many travelers having allergies

Think of it this way. Last week on my flight back home a lady had her cat on the plane in a small carrier. I am very allergic to cats. Thankfully she was towards the back of the plane and I was up front. No one called/emailed me that someone was traveling with a car. What if I was sitting next to her and the flight was overbooked.

 

[morgan98]

I actually had that problem on a flight. They didn't announce anything until we were on the plane (the family didn't say anything until then - as I heard them talk to the flight attendant). It was a four hour flight and I had a peanut related snack. I'm not diabetic but was hungry. I am celiac and allergic to milk proteins. There was nothing with protein that I could eat from the on-board food (including the first-class meals). I didn't die but I was rather miserable (and ended up with a major headache - which happens if I don't eat). Had I had prior notice, I could have likely found something in the airport (still hard, but more likely than on the plane). I had an actual bag of peanuts, so I really couldn't risk opening them (had I had a granola bar or something, I might have moved as far away as possible and eaten it and then washed up).

Quite frankly, for a four hour flight, if the family with the deathly allergy could not be bothered to notify the airline, she should have been put on a later flight so there would have been time to warn the passengers about having to make necessary accommodation and people could buy other food.

This family was selfish.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Simple.............anyone can live for the length of the flight without peanuts. Yet that persons allergy maybe live threatening.

Seems common sense and good manners would prevail and people can wait on the peanuts.

From another view........just help another person out!

AKK

 

[Goon]

Couple of things to keep in mind here.

1. Airlines are in business to make money, not accommodate everyone. This announcement was made in order to prove they attempted to mitigate the risk posed to the allergic passenger if said passenger were to have a reaction and sue the airline for negligence; from a risk management standpoint, this shows they tried to accommodate the passenger. In the grand scheme, it is more cost effective to ask your customer to self-regulate in order to accommodate the allergy, than to spend the time/money doing it yourself (which also risks defection of passengers due to any policy changes).

2. Airlines (especially budget airlines) will not voluntarily change policies that cost them more money (such as that which was mentioned in the article posted above...to have a passenger pre-board to clean the seat and offer a "buffer zone" of three rows in every direction where the allergic passenger is assured those other paying customers are not allowed to eat peanuts)...if and when there is a shift, it will have to be as a result of law or due to a large public outcry among the airlines' base of paying customers (IMHO); boutique airlines like virgin can afford to offer these types of services.

All that said, I personally would probably eat my peanuts. But then again, I'm a bit of an ******.

 

[asta]

I haven't read all of the pages of posts here, and I'll start off by saying that I would happily comply with this request.

But I think there would be another option - I am a professional chemist and am deathly allergic to one particular chemical. It happens to be found in a lot of things, including some adhesives and some paints. When I know I might come into contact with it, I just wear a half-face respirator. I have one that I keep with me that has special filters that will filter out all environmental contaminants. It's not pretty, but it keeps me alive.

If I were the parent of a child with a severe allergy, my kid would be wearing the half-face respirator the whole flight. It's a sure solution to keeping them safe.

I think this is an excellent solution. It is your responsibility to insure your or your child's safety. Why not buy and wear a mask that purifies your air rather than expecting others to take care of your safety. It just makes more sense and is tons more efficient to purify the air that one person needs instead of trying to purify the air for everyone.

I read a lot of everyone needs to accommodate me on threads like this. Take care of yourself and everyone will be happy.

 

[mondragon]

Quite frankly, for a four hour flight, if the family with the deathly allergy could not be bothered to notify the airline, she should have been put on a later flight so there would have been time to warn the passengers about having to make necessary accommodation and people could buy other food.

This family was selfish.

there is no rule where the family must notify the airline that a child/family member has an allergy. It does not even have to be nuts. So you are saying your snacks are more important than a child who has a severe allergy.

 

[cabanafrau]

I completely agree that there is NO reason an airline cannot communicate this information as soon as they are made aware of it. I have no issue not eating peanut butter for a few hours, just chose something else. That is not a viable option if you are not told until right before boarding.

As for you mom and her medical needs, there are literally 1,000's of other snack options for her to choose from. The point should be that she would need to know BEFORE departure so everyone can be accommodated. Of course, this is assuming that the airline is made aware of the information before departure. It is a bit ridiculous for a family to show up 30 minutes before boarding announcing a life threatening allergy. That is on the parents.

IMO, in the case of a life threatening allergy only being disclosed shortly before departure it would indeed be "on the parents" to face the repercussions of their failure to alert in a timely manner. If the accommodations cannot be made on a dime without inconveniencing other passengers, they will have to face the consequences of failing to let the airline know and not take the flight.

 

[mondragon]

Simple.............anyone can live for the length of the flight without peanuts. Yet that persons allergy maybe live threatening.

Seems common sense and good manners would prevail and people can wait on the peanuts.

From another view........just help another person out!

AKK

People only think about themselves. I can go a few hrs without eating. Even if the airline notified every single person on the flight that there is a person with an allergy to nuts, they will still brings their snacks with nuts because they don't care. Junior must have their peanut m&m's. But as soon as junior develops an allergy, then they will care.

 

[Christine]

Quite frankly, for a four hour flight, if the family with the deathly allergy could not be bothered to notify the airline, she should have been put on a later flight so there would have been time to warn the passengers about having to make necessary accommodation and people could buy other food.

This family was selfish.

Most peanut allergic people notify the airline when they buy the tickets. This note is made in the file and the airline staff on your plane is made aware that day. That's when they notify all the other passengers. It stinks. I think they should notify people via e-mail pre-flight. I know if the "old" days they couldn't, but they sure can now. They get most of your contact info from you when you purchase tickets.

 

[morgan98]

there is no rule where the family must notify the airline that a child/family member has an allergy. It does not even have to be nuts. So you are saying your snacks are more important than a child who has a severe allergy.

I said above, I would comply with the request. I do not even particularly like peanuts. That is not the point.

But there are people who may only have a peanut snack, sandwich, etc. and on a four hour flight, airlines do not serve much in the way of coach.

I would never assume to show up to board a plane and demand to place a dietary restriction on an entire flight on 150 people without any notice.

If the allergy were that severe, I would be calling DAYS ahead to make sure the airlines knew exactly what I needed as my accommodation.

 

[asta]

there is no rule where the family must notify the airline that a child/family member has an allergy. It does not even have to be nuts. So you are saying your snacks are more important than a child who has a severe allergy.

How serious could the allergy be if the parents did not even notify the airline ahead of time. If my child's life was endangered by breathing peanut air you better believe that I would not leave it up to a gate announcement to save their life. This sounds like parental neglect.