Another day, another negative encounter on Turkish Airlines concerning a passenger with a peanut allergy. Even those who are skeptical about tree nut allergies must acknowledge the difficult issues arising in this case.
Concern Over Peanut Allergy Prompts Turkish Airlines To Kick 21-Year-Old Off Flight In KUL
On November 10, 2022, 21-year-old Marissa Williamson was set to return from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (KUL) to Atlanta (ATL) via Istanbul (IST) on Turkish Airlines. She shared her account of what happened on Facebook. Upon boarding, Williamson informed a flight attendant of her peanut and tree nut allergy and requested an announcement be made concerning her condition and that the passengers around her be verbally informed. Importantly, she did not demand that Turkish not serve nuts onboard. When her request was refused, she pushed back:
“They ask me more about my allergy and I reiterate that I can’t eat it and the manager tells me the meals offered that will be ok for me. And I reiterate my request to have an announcement made to the plane and possibly the passengers directly around me informed (this has been done on every flight that I have ever taken, being a minor request) The flight attendant says there are nuts on the plane that will be served to business class and that they can’t make an announcement. I asked them to please just make the announcement and that was all I ask.”
But as Williamson continued to ask that an announcement be made, the flight crew became more suspicious:
“They told me they couldn’t unless I was allergic to the smell. They asked me again if I can’t smell it. I told them the smell may make me nauseous but that I can wear two masks, this would protect me from the smell. And she kept telling me no about the announcement and how it cannot be made and the smell will travel from business class where they will be serving peanuts.
“My seat was row 16 and there was a whole section of passengers between me and business class. I never asked them to stop serving their snacks or other meals. I kept telling them no I will be fine just please make an announcement. And when they asked me if I had all my emergency medicine I said yes and pulled my Benadryl and 2 Epi pens out of my bag. I said it was ok and the manager said no it’s not okay. They kept telling me that my allergy, the one I have struggled with and lived with my entire life, was much worse than I was letting on.”
A flight attendant and member of ground staff then conferred off the plane. A few minutes later, they returned and told Williamson she would have to step off the plane and could not fly. Williamson began to “speak sternly” about how she would be just fine, but the ground manager opened the overhead bin, grabbed her stuff, and demanded she get off the aircraft. She then asked how they had come to this decision and was told it would only be discussed once she had stepped off the aircraft.
Grabbing her suitcase (“I probably did slam my suitcase” – not sure what she means), she stepped off the aircraft. She pulled out her phone to call her mother and was immediately admonished that she could not take pictures or video.
On the jet bridge, Williamson claims she was effectively left to fend for herself and that Turkish Airlines ground staff refused to even speak to her. She cried uncontrollably. Williamson called her mother, who arranged a meet-and-greet to come get her and sit with her while she drove to the airport (she was still in Malaysia, about an hour away from Kuala Lumpur International Airport).
All this time, according to Williamson, the Turkish staff refused to even speak to her.
“I was just standing there frozen and shaking. I have severe anxiety and bipolar disorder and with how I was just treated, I was in a complete psychological panic, I could not force myself to even move it was so horrible. Then one of the airport security staff brought me a rolling chair, after standing there in tears for 30 minutes.”
When her mother arrived, the Turkish staff refused to speak to her either, telling her to open a claim ticket on the Turkish Airlines website (speaking from personal experience, that’s a notorious black hole).
And now Williamson finds herself still in Kuala Lumpur, waiting for a resolution.
We’ve reached out to Turkish Airlines to address the matter.
CONCLUSION
There are a lot of complexities surrounding this issue, but I would not be so quick to dismiss the woman as a troubled person who became agitated onboard, prompting the removal. At the heart of the matter, her request was reasonable. She did not demand that business class passengers could not be served nuts. Rather, she just asked for an announcement to be made so that people could be mindful of her serious condition. Showing compassion for those like Williamson is really not too much to ask. It seems to me that whatever happened onboard and on the ground could have easily been avoided. It should not be that those with allergies of any kind feel too scared to bring them up for fear of being removed from their flight.
I’ll keep you updated on how this story turns out.
Sounds like Snowflake should not have been travelling between bi-polar disorders and allegies.
Assuming the announcement was made and the person in the next seat opened a packet of peanuts, a nice large one, what would Snowflake have done then? Put on an extra mask or created hysterics.
Turkish Airlines were right, off load people like this.
Gotta agree. At first, I was somewhat sympathetic to her reasonable-sounding requests. OK, the nut allergy is a real thing, though I suspect way more rare than one would guess from all the generated drama around it.
But then she started piling on various other syndromes and conditions, bipolar disorder, sever anxiety, needfulness, crying fits, I want my mama, on and on.
If she’s that emotionally unstable, she has no business on a commercial flight. Grow up, become an adult, get on with life or get outta the way.
Snowflake? Wtf. I hope you never have to deal with allergies. 100% chance you have a God first bio on Facebook. Maybe when your inbred kids wake up you will realize how dumb they and you are.
Sorry for the girl! But in this planet everthing is lethal! You cannot expect that an entire plane should have concern for your personal deficiency! If your allergy is that obvious and you have the urge to announce it and scare your fellow pax and crew that you are an obvious risk in the flight and a possible disruption, than it is better to shut up and give yourself some medicines before you board the flight and never play the victim. By the way Malaysians eat a lot peanuts in their daily life. No problems walking around in Malaysia and get a whiff of peanuts?
Little sympathy for the passenger. Why did she insist on making an announcement? If nut vapor doesn’t cause an allergic reaction (which would be incredibly rare), then how does an announcement help her exactly? She could have just told the people sitting around her about her allergy if she was worried about touching anything nuts had touched – or just worn gloves when moving around the cabin. I’m not surprised if the crew suspected her allergy was worse than she was letting on and probably litigious given her attitude. People shouldn’t have to hide their allergies, but they also shouldn’t go overboard in expecting unreasonable accommodations. As long as people in seats immediately next to her weren’t eating nuts, there shouldn’t have been an issue for her.
Asking to make an announcement of any sort is not a reasonable request at all.
She could’ve herself quietly told her neighboring passengers to please be mindful of her peanut allergy and let her know before opening peanuts so she can reseat herself. No need to create a whole scene or ask about plane wide announcements.
Does she ask about general announcements every time she enters a party or restaurant where air filtration is worse
This is awesome. Finally someone told this little seeyounexttuesday NO. First time ever, I bet.
Before the snowflakes and garden gnomes come for me:
– First, there’s no science to back peanut allergy being severely dangerous if you’re not ingesting peanuts.
– Second, your allergy is your problem
– Third, how dare you disparage people with actual mental disorders to get your way. I think she forgot borderline personality disorder, because this sure sounds like it (which mostly stems from not being socially adjusted with boundaries in childhood).
you sound like a bigger c*nt than her
I have flown Turkish Airlines regularly for over 15 years now, and know them very well. Definitely at times, they can be a very frustrating Airline to deal with, especially the call center, also the ground personnel, not to mention that silly “feedback” form process (ay yi yi…) That being said, I don’t understand what the point of an “announcement” and making everyone on the plane more anxious than they probably are already was. The woman even said that she would be “fine” and they could serve nuts. So, I don’t get it. Then why bother with an announcement at all? She said if the smell bothered her, she could protect herself by wearing 2 masks. Sounds like she’s traveled on planes before and had no problems managing. Looks like she really dug a hole for herself with her strange behavior and probably created some suspicion about her. Especially after everyone has dealt with Covid the last couple of years, the crew is already sensitive to possibility of a passenger being infectious and a spreader. did she really want to create that impression?
She went a bit too far wanting a plane wide announcement. Oh, that way I wont throw a peanut at her head. Ah, that’s the ticket!!! Yes, its really bad having these conditions but in my opinion as long as the flight crew was aware and they were going to take steps to honor her condition I think she created the conflict. One thing I’m not reading in these incidents are airlines asking the passengers if they have an epipen with them? That would seem to be a logical question and protection.
Though I am only Type 2 Diabetes on days when blood seems to always be going low (like on a recent MEL-SFO flight) I talk to the FA’s, let them know and ensure I can get something from them if I need to and in some cases I stash it away like a can of juice or Bloody Mary Mix works great) BUT I also carry liquid glucose as the last resort.
Pass me a bag of Peanut M&M’s, this is great entertainment.
I’m not sure about Turkey but there are multiple jurisdictions where any safety related announcement like this would need to be vetted by the CAA or other regulatory authority before it could be made. It is not as simple as picking up the microphone and just saying something like is the custom in the USA.
Matthew, I can understand alerting the crew about a potential allergy, that is reasonable.
When I given antibiotics for an infected cut and my stomach was upset by the medication, I alerted the crew that I might have to quickly use the lav and I wanted them to know so they didn’t think it was anything more sinister than having an upset stomach.
Asking the crew to make an announcement and verbally speak with the passengers around her is over the top even for me and I am generally an understanding person.
If she needs that sort of special treatment, she should have done her research, looked out for herself, checked if TK had a special department or phone line, to alert the airline to her special needs.
Personal responsibility is important and something lacking in today’s society.
Typical Gen Z snowflake wanting a public announcement that she’s super-special. She made a nuisance of herself when the FAs wouldn’t cooperate and show everyone her super special status.
Good work by the Turkish staff on getting her off the flight. Hope they cracked open the peanuts and almonds to celebrate. Should have ket her stay and done it anyway. Allow nature to take its course and remove her from the gene pool.
I do feel bad for these people, but I also wonder…. Do they avoid restaurants, movie theaters, and the like?
Perhaps she confused having a nut allergies with being a nut job. The whole drama of not being able to move and requiring a wheelchair is over the top. Crew did the correct thing because it did seem as if a meltdown was imminent. I am sympathetic to those with allergies, but I am not sure introducing your needs to the entire plane is necessary.
Sounds like” little miss bossy”learned a lesson.I recall during the height of the pandemic,a semi ambulatory guy decides to fly from Indiana to Tallinn for a vacation,taking along his 450 lb.wheelchair complete with non removable batteryNot a nice lightweight collapsible one..They are a potential fire/evacuation risk and not allowed in cabin.He was oh so offended when some airlines refused to bend the safety rules just for him.And yes,he could walk,just like princess got herself through life in peanut land Georgia,all the way to Kuala Lumpur.
Typical snowflake!!! She would not eat nuts. She said she could smell it but would wear two masks. Thus, why the need for the announcement? Because she is a snowflake. “Oh, it makes me feel better!!” “Oh, if makes me feel I am taking care of.” ” Oh, it makes me feel I am being heard.” Absolutely a snowflake!!! What a f….ed up generation!!
Oooh, you’re so angry and triggered.
Wow. I am absolutely shocked by most of the responses here. Most airlines, well the good ones anyway, prefer to make an announcement to keep a passenger safe. Her requests were completely reasonable. The airlines handling was not. Life threatening food allergies are a disability just like needing a wheelchair, being a diabetic, deaf, or blind. I hope none of you have any allergies – but be aware they can form at any time in your life.
And yes people with severe allergies generally continue to life as normal of a life as possible including going to the movies and sporting events. They are armed with meds in case of a reaction. And they usually don’t consume food at these establishments unless they’re prepackaged.
Have a little sympathy. A 21 yo is still very young, was just humiliated due to a frustrating disability, was alone, and the airline treated her horribly. I imagine many people would be very upset.
Turkish Airlines is an excellent carrier, way ahead of anything else in Europe except perhaps Air France in F and as Europe is way ahead of the US in all regards then you’ve probably never flown with a ‘good airline’.
A friend of mine has seafood allergies. She’s a teacher. One day, she had a severe allergic reaction because the Janitor had thrown a tuna sandwich in the trash in the teachers’ break room. When she used the trash, she was exposed. She was able to get treatment in time, but she had to ask the Janitor not to bring seafood to the school. This may seem extreme, but Janitors do cover most of the school areas.
I’m sympathetic to allergy sufferer being one myself but that fake diva deserves the treatments she got. That diva attitude doesn’t travel well. Kudos to the Turkish crew; she courted problem, she got it.
Agreed. I also suffer a mean allergy. Just imagine if we all had stand up and “confess” our issues. Like a 12 step program? Nuts over here. Mangoes over there. Doctor/FA acting as triage. But I stand by my assessment that her most probable concern was her mental health.
Matthew-It’s all about personal choice. She does not have the right to dictate an announcement to the entire plane. You are wrong and I need a break from you for a while. I appreciate your blog and will be back but this is an “Unsubscribe” moment.
I never said she had a right to dictate. Instead, I said it was a reasonable request. Seems a bit much to unsubscribe over this…
Trying to pass your American privilege on a non American carrier? Good luck,”kachang puteh”.
Malaysians love peanuts. What is satay without peanut sauce?
It just sounds like she had such severe medical issues that the airline didn’t feel qualified to handle her situation with no easily accessible doctors or hospitals available in the sky. I sympathize with them for not wanting to take the very real risk of her dying and them being unable to help.
Peanut allergy. “Extreme bipolar and depression”. “Speak sternly”? “I probably did slam my suitcase”.
Boy, did they make the right decision.
Sadly, Ukranians her age are getting slaughtered right next door. I’m sure no one in Ukraine has peanut allergies.
In fairness, this version of the story does make it appear that her repeated arguing for an announcement made the crew think she would have a reaction if someone on the plane had a peanut. Given that level of allergy, the crew decided it was a safety issue and deplaned her. Sure, she argued that she wasn’t that bad, but that was preceded by a lot of arguing that it was bad enough that an announcement had to be made to the whole plane.
I don’t think the crew was unreasonable. Also, arguing with crew doesn’t usually turn out well. An airplane is not just any place. It is a ship and the crew are in charge. Age 21 is probably a good age to learn that.
I honestly find the woman rather odd. Who cares about your allergy? I understand it may be severe but honestly when has nut dust ever actually flown across seats to make someone sick?