Waiting to board our plane and....

[Kellykins1218]

I have to laugh at all the people suggesting alternatives like jerky, cheese, and eggs. I would love for you to try and get a special needs diabetic child, that has extreme food aversions, to eat something other than his peanut butter sandwich. I can tell you right now, it's not going to happen. Not everyone has the choice to eat something else even if they know ahead of time. Sometimes peanut butter IS the ONLY choice. Luckily, we've never been in that situation but if it happened, we absolutely wouldn't be able to comply. I should add, it's only if he's having a medical issue where he'd need to have it that we would give it to him, not that we'd just give it to him as a snack.

 

[Starwind]

FYI, the most prominent cat allergen particle is about 1/10 the size of a typical dust particle.

Here is an example of the masks sold by one allergy products supply company: http://www.achooallergy.com/masks.asp

I do have 3M P100 masks, but find them very hard to wear for prolonged periods. The compromise for me between filtering level and wearability is the N95 or N99.

SW

 

[JJZMgailey]

 

[Kellykins1218]

SunButter and all of the other nut butters taste nothing like peanut butter and are not a reasonable alternative for everyone

 

[Domo]

Bacon in a can.

 

[Planogirl]

FYI, the most prominent cat allergen particle is about 1/10 the size of a typical dust particle.

Here is an example of the masks sold by one allergy products supply company: http://www.achooallergy.com/masks.asp

I do have 3M P100 masks, but find them very hard to wear for prolonged periods. The compromise for me between filtering level and wearability is the N95 or N99.

SW

I can sympathize with your comments about the discomfort of masks. I also suffer from allergies but they are manageable unless I rely only on my nose to breathe. I've tried to wear masks when painting and so forth but I get the most claustrophobic feeling. I see all of the films of so many people in Japan wearing masks as they go about their business and I just can't imagine.

 

[asta]

I think we are all missing that there ARE things that the allergic person can do on a flight that doesn't involve asking a whole plane to change their dietary plans. They make masks, (full face and half face) that filter out even the tinniest of particles, that would effectively filter out any chance of peanut dust. The allergic person could wear this mask and safely fly without asking others to change their plans.

They are not even that expensive http://respro.com/store/product/respro-allergy-mask

Now I've read that children can't keep the mask on- well so sad too bad, if you can't wear the mask, don't fly (and for the record you ALWAYS have a choice, I understand that people fly for funerals, to visit family and to move, if you can't fly safely without imposing on others, than you don't do those things, it IS a choice.)

I also read another poster who has to fly for doctors appointments, apparently they wear a mask, so they'll be fine, but if they insist on over the top accommodations, they should find alternatives to commercial travel. There are medical flights and there are also recreational pilots who will volunteer hours to fly medically fragile children (although I don't think they they could claim to be peanut free).

I always travel with uncrustables, they are easy to transport, don't need refrigeration, and my kids and I like them. I'm not going to stop flying with them. If someone asked me to not feed my children, I'd have words with both them and the airline. If a parent doesn't have a mask for their child, they are bad parents who are putting their children in danger, and they are also asking ME to be a bad parent by not feeding my kids.

If airlines are going to make these crazy requests, they better be prepared to equally accommodate the guests who have been put out by the peanut ban. If I was on this flight I'd be raising cain if I couldn't feed my kids.

Thanks for posting the link. I have developed a pretty bad dust allergy and am looking for something to wear while cleaning the house. I think anyone who claims an allergy should do anything and everything possible to help themselves before asking others to change their behavior. People with an extreme life threatening allergy exist but I suspect in much smaller numbers than is being claimed. I can't imagine someone risking a life on commercial air travel if that is the case. Anything else seems like an attention grab.

I can't imagine why the airlines don't just require a mask for people claiming an allergy. I would not be surprised to see this happen if this gets disruptive enough.

 

[Starwind]

FWIW, I agree that many of the "fake" peanut butters do not taste like peanut butter, and some of them IMO are downright nasty.

I have, however, found one that is very very very close to real PB. Looks like, smells like it, texture is like it, and the taste is nearly indistinguishable from Kraft PB (which is what it was blind taste-tested against by my sibling). For me, the taste is pretty darn close to what I remember real PB tasting like.

I have tried many PB substitutes and tossed many a container after the first use. With Wowbutter I sat down and cried with joy at finally finding such a good and close a PB substitute.

Wowbutter. http://wowbutter.com/

While this may not work for everyone (e.g. it is made from non-GMO soy and people may be allergic to that), it would be a viable substitute for quite a few, should they be looking for one.

SW

 

[Starwind]

I can sympathize with your comments about the discomfort of masks. I also suffer from allergies but they are manageable unless I rely only on my nose to breathe. I've tried to wear masks when painting and so forth but I get the most claustrophobic feeling. I see all of the films of so many people in Japan wearing masks as they go about their business and I just can't imagine.

IME a lot depends on the type of mask one is wearing. What it is made out of, how it is "cut", how fine the filtration is (because this strongly affects the work of breathing), etc. And, it takes some getting used to to wear.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

So, OP, how was the flight?

 

[sookie]

I have to laugh at all the people suggesting alternatives like jerky, cheese, and eggs. I would love for you to try and get a special needs diabetic child, that has extreme food aversions, to eat something other than his peanut butter sandwich. I can tell you right now, it's not going to happen. Not everyone has the choice to eat something else even if they know ahead of time. Sometimes peanut butter IS the ONLY choice. Luckily, we've never been in that situation but if it happened, we absolutely wouldn't be able to comply. I should add, it's only if he's having a medical issue where he'd need to have it that we would give it to him, not that we'd just give it to him as a snack.

My egg suggestion was a joke, but after thinking about it... haven't you seen the protein packs at Starbucks? They sell those at the airport for a reasonable price. And I believe they include an egg. And I'm not sure a hard boiled egg wouldn't work, but that might get tossed by TSA. I don't know.

The point is that there are options for you to bring things onto a plane - including a whole meal. Being aware and not eating peanuts when others are allergic is just being nice. The whole "do unto others thing".

 

[sookie]

Bacon in a can.

THIS! LOL

 

[Kellykins1218]

Being aware and not eating peanuts when others are allergic is just being nice. The whole "do unto others thing".

Funny, I don't consider dictating what everyone else is allowed to have regardless of their own needs as nice. It also contradicts the whole "do unto others" thing.

 

[lsyorke]

And I believe they include an egg. And I'm not sure a hard boiled egg wouldn't work, but that might get tossed by TSA. I don't know.

I think this highlights the situation perfectly. It comes down to being prepared, just in case there's someone allergic to something on your flight, attempt to find "something" that will work and hope that the TSA allows it, even if you have no idea what allergy you may be dealing with. Bottom line, the majority will have no problem not eating peanuts on a flight that they make the announcement, but unless compliance is 100% it won't matter to the severely allergic person. What if that person is severely allergic to eggs

 

[Bec3b1g]

My egg suggestion was a joke, but after thinking about it... haven't you seen the protein packs at Starbucks? They sell those at the airport for a reasonable price. And I believe they include an egg. And I'm not sure a hard boiled egg wouldn't work, but that might get tossed by TSA. I don't know.

The point is that there are options for you to bring things onto a plane - including a whole meal. Being aware and not eating peanuts when others are allergic is just being nice. The whole "do unto others thing".

Coming back from France last year I sat next to a French couple who brought a baggy of hard boiled eggs and ate them on the flight. Let me tell you, those eggs stunk up the plane for a really long time.

 

[gwynne]

Coming back from France last year I sat next to a French couple who brought a baggy of hard boiled eggs and ate them on the flight. Let me tell you, those eggs stunk up the plane for a really long time.

I don't like eggs. The smell of them is nauseating to me. I can't imagine what that flight would have been like. Ugh.

 

[22Tink]

FWIW, I agree that many of the "fake" peanut butters do not taste like peanut butter, and some of them IMO are downright nasty.

I have, however, found one that is very very very close to real PB. Looks like, smells like it, texture is like it, and the taste is nearly indistinguishable from Kraft PB (which is what it was blind taste-tested against by my sibling). For me, the taste is pretty darn close to what I remember real PB tasting like.

I have tried many PB substitutes and tossed many a container after the first use. With Wowbutter I sat down and cried with joy at finally finding such a good and close a PB substitute.

Wowbutter. http://wowbutter.com/

While this may not work for everyone (e.g. it is made from non-GMO soy and people may be allergic to that), it would be a viable substitute for quite a few, should they be looking for one.

SW

This is what they serve at snack time at my DD's daycare, as it is a peanut free facility. DD loves it and keeps telling me I need to buy some! I haven't yet, though, because we eat regular peanut butter, but it does seem to be a really good option for those who can't.

 

[gwynne]

Funny, I don't consider dictating what everyone else is allowed to have regardless of their own needs as nice. It also contradicts the whole "do unto others" thing.

Yep. It's always going to be difficult when one person is certain their needs outweigh all others. It's a case by case basis, and we all need to be as personally proactive as we can. It's a metal tube. We're all enclosed in it, together.
If air travel works for someone, great. If there is too much risk, that's good to know. There are always other options.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I think this highlights the situation perfectly. It comes down to being prepared, just in case there's someone allergic to something on your flight, attempt to find "something" that will work and hope that the TSA allows it, even if you have no idea what allergy you may be dealing with. Bottom line, the majority will have no problem not eating peanuts on a flight that they make the announcement, but unless compliance is 100% it won't matter to the severely allergic person. What if that person is severely allergic to eggs

I bolded. Yes, it comes down to being prepared- however I am prepared to fly with my snacks/food that I packed that is okayed by the airline. Is the allergic person also prepared in that maybe they won't be able to fly because of their allergy or they have sealed snacks to pass out or are willing to pay for meals for everyone? OF course we we would refrain but I cannot imagine asking 100+ people to accommodate me. I would handle my own business. JMHO.

 

[CanBeGrumpy]

People seem to be losing sight of the fact that the "please don't eat your peanut snacks" announcement is simply a request, NOT a requirement. Also, it is not the person with the allergy making the request, it is the airline personnel. As previously stated, my child has a peanut allergy and we have flown numerous times, and not once did we ask the airline to request that people not eat their own personal peanut/peanut butter snacks. My son hates that announcement and wishes they would not make it. We do not care if someone two rows ahead eats a peanut butter sandwich. No one is requiring a plane full of people to accommodate one person with an allergy; it is a request (made by the airline, not the person with the allergy). Comply if you can, don't if you can't. It really is being made into a much bigger deal than it needs to be. If it will make you feel better about eating your snack, ask the flight attendant to ask the person with the allergy if it is ok for you to eat it. Most likely the answer will be "yes". (this happened to us one time, and I was extremely grateful for the person's concern, but also regretted that the airline had made the announcement, thereby forcing these very nice people into the uncomfortable position of having to ask us if it was ok to eat their snack).

Now there may be cases where someone eating a single peanut butter sandwich on board could possibly have a detrimental affect on an extremely peanut-sensitive individual, but I think that situation is rare.