what food can you bring on planes?

[crashbb]

i know we cannot be "guaranteed" a peanut free flight, but we can request it and have our request met as reasonably as possible... but keep in mind, that peanut/tree nut allergies are covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which i would guess encourages airlines to cooperate...

You can request it. You have no control over how other passengers will meet the request. The airline will cooperate to the point of not serving peanuts and making the announcements, but they have no control of an individual's choices. I would hope that, given pre-boarding notice, most passengers would do without peanut butter (or whatever the allergen is), but there is no guarantee at all.

 

[CarolA]

And again Carol you are jumping down peoples' throats! I would not inconvenience people in this respect. That is clearly what I stated. Ido not believe in inconveniencing people. I would find alterantives instead of asking people to be inconvenienced. I would be teaching my kids to not inconvenience others by making other arrangements. I'm going to go let my kids do whatever they want as you suggested, because I must be a really terrible parent.

Well based on this...

It's all about YOU isn't it..
The emphais on "I" says it all!

I mean after all so that YOU won't be bothered at all others should NOT be allowed to fly. WOW!~

Perhaps you should consider teaching yoru children tolerance and acceptance too?

 

[kaytieeldr]

In the interest of 100% accuracy, the ADA does not apply to air travel. However, the Air Carrier Access Act (obviously) does, and includes a policy specific to peanuts

"An August 12, 1998 Department of Transportation (DOT) order to airlines over which it has jurisdiction mandated that they create peanut-free zones to accommodate passengers who have peanut allergies. While not requiring that airlines ban peanuts entirely, they are banned in the rows in front of and behind the passenger making the request. "
http://www.law.uh.edu/healthlaw/perspectives/Disabilities/981015Peanut.html

"The DOT launched an investigation, reviewing the March 1996 Mayo Clinic study that found allergens from peanuts served during flights can wash through ventilation-system filters -- albeit only after 5,000 hours of flight. The DOT concluded the real danger was if an allergic passenger ingests a peanut.

Even though the agency couldn't find any cases of medical incidents resulting from airplane peanuts, it decided that requiring peanut-free zones wasn't "unduly burdensome," DOT spokesman Bill Mosley says."
http://www.junkscience.com/sep98/peanut.htm

"Affected passengers need to know that most airlines cannot guarantee a peanut-free flight. For instance, other passengers cannot be prevented from bringing peanut-based food aboard. Airlines are required only to create a peanut-free buffer zone, which, as mentioned earlier, is not a sure-fire defense against airborne peanut proteins"
http://www.sptimes.com/News/123001/Travel/Out_of_the_Blue__Pean.shtml

 

[froglady]

I have an immunized compromised relative, and she wears a mask and gloves while flying. If I or my child had an allergy which could cause a severe reaction, or heaven forbid, even death, if touched or inhaled, I would be sure that I/he was doing the same, rather than take any chances. I would like to think that people would comply with a no (insert allergen here) request, but I wouldn't stake my, or my child's, life on it.

I myself am considering wearing gloves and a mask on a trans-Atlantic flight, just to be sure that I don't catch anything.

 

[gigi1313]

thank you katieeldr for that info... some i had read before, other was new to me... and a refresher is always good...

 

[kaytieeldr]

You're welcome. I didn't doubt you - it's just that my knowledge of the ADA is primarily about accessibility, so I wanted to provide as accurate information as possible. Otherwise, some day, somebody's going to invoke the "The ADA makes it illegal to serve peanuts on this/a flight" and some other person is going to legitimately retort that the ADA does not address peanuts or air travel at ALL.

I DO believe peanut allergies exist - I don't think many, if any, persons could fake anaphylactic shock (or would want to); but I wonder if anybody's done any studies on why this type of allergy is SO much more prevalent in the United States than in other countries?

 

[livndisney]

I have an immunized compromised relative, and she wears a mask and gloves while flying. If I or my child had an allergy which could cause a severe reaction, or heaven forbid, even death, if touched or inhaled, I would be sure that I/he was doing the same, rather than take any chances. I would like to think that people would comply with a no (insert allergen here) request, but I wouldn't stake my, or my child's, life on it.

I myself am considering wearing gloves and a mask on a trans-Atlantic flight, just to be sure that I don't catch anything.

It would be nice if people would comply with an allergen request, but in my experience people on this very board have said they would think of their own family first no matter the harm to another. Truth be told several were quite rude about it.

 

[gigi1313]

You're welcome. I didn't doubt you - it's just that my knowledge of the ADA is primarily about accessibility, so I wanted to provide as accurate information as possible. Otherwise, some day, somebody's going to invoke the "The ADA makes it illegal to serve peanuts on this/a flight" and some other person is going to legitimately retort that the ADA does not address peanuts or air travel at ALL.

I DO believe peanut allergies exist - I don't think many, if any, persons could fake anaphylactic shock (or would want to); but I wonder if anybody's done any studies on why this type of allergy is SO much more prevalent in the United States than in other countries?

and why it has become soooo much more prevalent in recent years compared to when we were growing up... i've yet to have my son in a public school class that there is not one other child w/the same/similar allergies... of course, i have my theory, but it's just that, a theory (and for those that care, i believe it may be vaccine related)...

i know the ADA addressed allergies and schools, which is where most of my research has centered...

from: http://www.peanutallergy.com/awareness-and-advocacy.html

Federal Benefits
In the US, children who suffer from food allergies that can be life-threatening, including peanut allergy, enjoy some benefits thanks to federal law because they are typically regarded as disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well as the Rehabilitation Act (S. 504).

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
ADA says, “A customer with a food allergy may ask a restaurant if it is possible to omit a sauce or ingredient from a dish he or she wishes to order. When it is easy to do, the request should be honored.” However, the ADA protects restaurants from having to make so-called “fundamental alterations”, meaning changes in their food, products, or services that are sufficiently significant to alter the nature of the product they offer. Therefore, it is reasonable to ask for peanut products to be removed from certain dishes, but a restaurant does not have to comply with a request for a special dish that has no such products and is not remotely part of their menu. The ADA only requires them to make “reasonable modifications.”

Rehabilitation Act
Sec. 504 of the Rebilitation Act begins by stating: “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States, as defined in section 7(20), shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance or under any program or activity conducted by any Executive agency or by the United States Postal Service.”

For more information, please visit the US Department of Education

 

[Vijoge]

What's with all this animosity over some flippin' peanuts? Surely anyone can make it through a plane ride without peanut withdrawal. Eat some before you board. Eat some when you get off. You'd be looking at what? 4-4.5 hours without a nut, tops. (Not including international flights, of course.)

 

[kaytieeldr]

I don't have a problem - IF the airline tells me while I still have a chance to make other arrangements, i.e. at the gate, enough before the plane leaves that I can at least head over to the quick-food counter and get some hummus (to replace my thawing pb&j sandwich, which I will now leave in my bag and sealed in its original plastic).

 

[bavaria]

I think that kaytieeldr's post is key - giving people advance notice to make alternate arrangements.

Also please note that many US carriers have now started to state not just 'no peanuts', but 'no products produced in a facility that makes nuts'. That is far more wide reaching and has a far greater impact. That means that many products people take on board such as granola bars, chocolate bars, etc which do not contain peanuts can also not be consumed. Then factor in that some carriers won't even serve their own 'buy on board' products in this scenario, and it becomes even more challenging.

Passengers have reported on SW that not only are the peanuts not served when someone makes the request, but the pretzels are not served either due to that notation. Now expand that to flights of 6 hours and it is a different scenario than '2 hours without a peanut'.

I don't think that anyone here would intentionally endanger someone but I also think that the suggestion to have even a few minutes advance notice is reasonable, especially when some carriers are now saying 'no products made in a facility which processes nuts.

 

[pezheadmeg]

While I'm enjoying the peanut debate (I by the way don't fly with them, and I can live on peanut butter) I really need to respond to the OP.

You're eating breakfast before hopping on a 4 hour flight at 9:30. Are you really going to want lunch within 4 hours? How far apart are their meals on school days? Could your kids be fine with say a string cheese, a 100 calorie pack, and something sweet on the flight? Ice-packs usually don't muster through security, so keeping a lunchable cold might not be feasable. Then when you land get an actual meal for lunch.

 

[tjmw2727]

While I'm enjoying the peanut debate (I by the way don't fly with them, and I can live on peanut butter) I really need to respond to the OP.

You're eating breakfast before hopping on a 4 hour flight at 9:30. Are you really going to want lunch within 4 hours? How far apart are their meals on school days? Could your kids be fine with say a string cheese, a 100 calorie pack, and something sweet on the flight? Ice-packs usually don't muster through security, so keeping a lunchable cold might not be feasable. Then when you land get an actual meal for lunch.

ITA but if you do want to bring a lunch/snacks onboard that do need to be kept cold frozen grapes and or carrots work well, get through security fine and can be a nice frosty snack later in the flight.

If I am flying through lunch or dinner I do pack my dd's a typical school lunch sans the drink or anything else liquid or jel (no jello or yogurt). I freeze grapes and or carrots for an ice pack and buy drinks after security. This way we aren't waiting on the FA's for drinks, snacks and if my kids are hungry they have snack/lunch/dinner. Even though my oldest dd's fav sandwich is pb&j I don't bother to pack that while flying. She likes enough other things that it isn't worth taking a chance she can't eat it or with bother another.

TJ

 

[squirrel]

I love my peanut butter sandwiches! If an anouncement was made on the airplane that there was a person onboard with a nut allergy-I would not unwrap my sandwich nor would I plan on eating it while on the plane. I won't die of hunger or die from not eating a peanut butter sandwich. I can live without it for a few hours!

I know how dangerous it can be-I am allergic to smoke. All I have to do is breath outside (the person doesn't even have to be closer than 5 feet) and can have an asthma attack and have to go to the hospital.

I think as time goes on, it's going to be harder and harder to eat in crowded places. It seem like more and more people have an allergy to something.

My niece is lactose intollerant. Even if she has a lactaid pill and eats a cupcake with milk she will have the same reaction-looses blader contol. It can be the smallest amount of milk, but it happens everytime.

Finding snacks and food my niece can eat is a challenge. I do have to think about nut allergies of others. While the rest of the passengers are able to eat a cheese sandwich my neice cannot. She is limited to a few kinds of crackers and a few kinds of cookies (I make her bread without milk). Most grocery stores around us do not have the peanut butter and cracker pkgs. Wouldn't even work for her as the crackers have milk in them anyway!

 

[ConnieB]

I take the following:

crackers
cheese (slice it ahead of time)
lunch meats (bologna, salami, roast beef, turkey, ham, etc)
FROZEN grapes
FROZEN carrots

The frozen items will keep the cheese/meat cold and by the time it's lunch they'll have mostly thawed and make a cool treat (literally). It's my homemade version of a Lunchable.....a lot less unknowns in the ingredients.
When the kids were younger I'd put a toothpick (the kind for canapes/appetizers, can't remember it's name right now, but without the sharp point) in grapes and freeze them for "popsicle" type food. They loved frozen fruit!

 

[LSchrow]

I know how dangerous it can be-I am allergic to smoke. All I have to do is breath outside (the person doesn't even have to be closer than 5 feet) and can have an asthma attack and have to go to the hospital.

fyi, smoke is a "trigger", not an allergen (my worst trigger includes most musky perfumes....unfortunately, those are not regulated ).

& i agree with you wholeheartedly: while i love PB&J (a real comfort food), i would never bring one on a plane (we bring pretzels, pringles, cheese sticks, etc).
simply an extension of common courtesy, imho

 

[bavaria]

Just a reminder for our international readers that most fruit/veggies cannot be taken across/through borders, and those travelling on preclearance programs are usually restricted from taking any food at all....

(I know that we do have a diverse readership, and just wanted to add that. Every time I see someone's fruit seized while travelling - which is almost weekly - I have to think of bumbershoot and a warning she posted here awhile back)

 

[ConnieB]

I definitely feel for those with peanut allergies....but I can also understand the mom with the 2yr that innocently brought along a PBJ for lunch. I'm not sure I want to listen to a hungry 2 year old for a 4 hour flight so I would hope that the airlines start getting smart and make the announcement before people board. That mom may not be happy about having to buy more food, but it's better than having a screaming 2 year old to deal with!

Note to self.....pack some extra grapes, carrots and cheese to share with that 2 year old!

Seriously, though...I wonder WHY the airlines wouldn't announce it at the gate, repeatedly, so that people could at least make alternate arrangements. Or at the very least I wonder if they carry "safe" food on the plane at all times so that the 2yr old can at least get something to eat!

And for the person who questioned having to eat on a 4 hour flight......let me tell you our schedule....first, you have to arrive 2 hours before that 4 hour flight (and ours is actually a 4 hour 50 minute flight if it's non-stop more if it's not nonstop)....so that makes at least 7 hours (and by the way the 2 hours is not my idea, it's what our local airport posts as the time to arrive, some airports are 1 1/2 but ours is 2....at least it's down from the 2 1/2 for a year or so after 9/11). It's a 90 minute drive to the airport.....at least 15 to 30 minutes from dropping us off to standing in line to check our bags. We're at almost 9 hours now. Yes, there is food available in the airport, but it's expensive, it tasteless, and when the kids were young, well, let's just say I'd have to bring along a change of clothes, my kids were (and to some extent still are) messy eaters. I doubt most adults would be happy going 9 hours between meals....and I didn't even count the 20-30 minutes to get baggage, and time to get the rental car and then find food once we've landed. For us, travel from our front door to WDW's front door is an all day experience.

Even if you were to eat when you get through security.....6 hours is a long time for a child to go between meals. That's why elementary schools typically had snack times in addition to lunch....and then when you got home from school mom had a snack waiting for you to tide you over for dinner. I'm not saying that a child can't do it....but it's pretty tough explaining that to a toddler who isn't going to understand or care....and even a slightly older child won't be as patient when their tummy grumbles. So yes, a parent will bring food along for their child if they want to keep said child happy.....because bored children get hungrier fast too. And I'm quite sure that you'll appreciate the fact that we all keep our kids happy....because happy kids are quieter kids.

But.....I'm wondering about the people who are outraged about peanut allergies.....do you not have someone at your child's school with an allergy, or your church, or in your child's circle of friends? I homeschool my kids, so I can't speak of the school situation, but we have friends at church, support group, co-op and in the neighborhood with allergies to some or other type of nut. For that reason, PB is an "at home" only food for us. Thankfully by the time this became seemingly the norm, my kids were past the "will only eat PBJ" stage.

To some extent I just don't understand why manufacturers still produce non-peanut items in the same factory as peanut items. When it's a life or death situation for SOOOO many people, unlike a decade ago when it was rare....you'd think that it would be a marketing advantage to have a separate facility for peanut items. I know the mom's I've talked to avoid certain brands just because they have friends (or friends online) who had problems with that brand because of cross contamination. Another note to self....someday when I win the lottery and can build a factory, make it a no peanut allowed company, and make a fortune........just like the no-carb industry a few years ago!

 

[kaytieeldr]

But.....I'm wondering about the people who are outraged about peanut allergies.....do you not have someone at your child's school with an allergy, or your church, or in your child's circle of friends?

I don't think anyone here is outraged about peanut allergy; I think some people are curious about it. The only stupid questions are the ones not asked.

To some extent I just don't understand why manufacturers still produce non-peanut items in the same factory as peanut items. When it's a life or death situation for SOOOO many people, unlike a decade ago when it was rare....you'd think that it would be a marketing advantage to have a separate facility for peanut items

But that would require building an entirely separate facility, and not being able to let ANY employee, equipment, or supply to travel between the two facilities. It's not fiscally reasonable.
http://www.peanutbutterlovers.com/allergies/index.html "Approximately one-half of one percent of the American population has an allergy to peanuts. Only one-tenth of one percent of the American population is believed to be subject to a life-threatening peanut allergy. For the remainder of the population, peanuts and peanut butter continue to be a popular, nutritious and economical food.

The U.S. peanut industry does not want anyone to ever be harmed by our product. That is why we support full disclosure labeling on food products and sponsor training programs for peanut product manufacturers. "

 

[bavaria]

But.....I'm wondering about the people who are outraged about peanut allergies.....do you not have someone at your child's school with an allergy, or your church, or in your child's circle of friends?

I haven't read anyone here outraged about peanut allergies.

But to answer your question - no, I do not know a single person with peanut allergies in Germany (or North America, where I am much of the year, and where I know many people, adults and children)

The other prolific German poster here has just advised me that he too does not know anyone in Germany with peanut allergies. We cannot find any details, but the incidence is far lower in Germany than in America, so even when we have 82 million people the number is very low.