I’ve written about tree nut allergies quite a bit on Live and Let’s Fly and am always surprised at the debate this topic sparks. These allergies are not fantasies, but dire realities for those who face such adverse reactions to peanuts or tree nuts. One of the most difficult places for those with nut allergies in on an airplane, since the confined space not only creates a more sensitive environment, but is also historically a place where nuts play a central role in service. That makes a recent experience of a mother and her allergic son traveling on United Airlines quite nutty…
United Airlines Nut Allergy Incident In Houston – Part Of A Bigger Problem
I’ve quoted Lianne Mandelbaum before in my coverage of various peanut allergy cases. She runs a food allergy advocacy nonprofit called No Nut Traveler, which was started because of her own son Josh’s food allergy. Over the years, she has raised awareness over the difficulty of passengers traveling with tree nut and other food allergies.
Recently, she made a trip on United Airlines to Texas. United’s allergen policy was updated in January and while no airline can guarantee an unconditionally safe space, the policy does call for flight attendants to accommodate travelers with allergies when possible. On their outbound journey, Mandelbaum noted a positive experience with the crew:
Great kind considerate crew on our @united flight – informed them re my sons #peanutallergy – told all around us to be careful and asked not to eat peanuts – the wind is changing in the air #gratitude pic.twitter.com/4ZEdihItOw
— Lianne Mandelbaum (@NoNutTraveler) March 11, 2023
But things did not go smoothly on the way back.
After informing the crew of her son’s allergy, she was summoned to the front of aircraft, where she claims she was scolded by a rude supervisor:
“I went to go pull up policy on my phone and she literally put her hand in my face like this and got close and she goes, ‘I don’t care what you’re going to say or what you’re going to show me. I’m telling you, this is not going to happen on this plane. So what are you going to do about it now?’ And at that point, I really did feel threatened that she was going to kick me off.”
Not wanting to be thrown off the flight, Mandelbaum backed down. After the flight took off, however, she tweeted the following to United:
So much for a change in the winds – this @united crew flat out refused to make announcement about my sons #peanutallergy – embarrassed me intentionally called me to front to let me know it’s illegal for them to ask people to be careful or not eat nuts – talk about inconsistency pic.twitter.com/2i0mKDa7pV
— Lianne Mandelbaum (@NoNutTraveler) March 13, 2023
Ironically, United responded by telling Mandelbaum to inform the flight crew of her son’s condition (exactly what she did):
Ironically @united responded to my tweet about supervisor humiliating me for merely asking to inform those around by sending me a link below to their own policy which says I can ask for a buffer zone around my son for #peanutallergy– I did not even go this far -cant make this up https://t.co/tSlSSuV6Fb
— Lianne Mandelbaum (@NoNutTraveler) March 14, 2023
Talk about a nutty response from United…
United now says it is investigating the incident. The culprit may be one rogue supervisor in Houston, but it marks a disturbing trend in which those with allergies are mocked or even threatened for a condition they have no control over.
A Culture Of Fear
Mandelbaum explained her concern to Live and Let’s Fly, which go far beyond the United flight itself.
“Josh was scared when I was tweeting about it – that United would tell the crew to land the plane and kick us off- just for tweeting about the situation. I never think of his food allergy as a burden, but it pained me to think he may think of himself in that way, regardless of how often his parents tell him he’s not. Those who have food allergies do not want to impose on others, but they learn early on that they must speak up to keep themselves safe and alive. All I want for him is to be able to speak up and tell those like airline staff about his food allergy without fear of being kicked off a plane. I want him to be safe and live a full life. He should not ever fear repercussions for volunteering medical information. We see people with heart disease fly safely ever day. Yet a heart condition is far more likely to land a plane. There is such an unfair burden on passengers with food allergies.”
Her commentary resonates with me and helps get to heart of why this issue is about so much more than “personal responsibility” or other superficialities that those with peanut allergies are accused of not adhering to.
The Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research (CFAAR), which is part of the Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM) at Northwestern University, recently released a survey showing that many passengers with allergies do not speak up for fear or negative repercussions from crew members. This should not be the case!
As Mandelbaum explained:
“How can a child or adults safety be dependent on mood or education of a particular crew?…We are never guaranteed that this will be the case on any particular flight. Food allergy passengers need a consistent, global industry-wide, universally-accepted and enforced policy so they can travel safely. And there needs to be repercussions when not followed.”
For a host of reasons I understand why airlines are reluctant to guarantee allergy-free zones on planes. There are just too many unknowns. Even so, a little empathy and little effort to simply remind passengers to refrain from eating nuts goes a long way toward creating the sort of environment in which those with allergies need not fear every time they step on an aircraft.
CONCLUSION
After a pleasant outbound journey, a mother and her son encountered trouble on United Airlines. A supervisor mocked a peanut allergy and expressed total indifference for their plight. United responded by referencing its own policy…which was not followed. But the issue goes far beyond United, with many continuing to react like the supervisor and blaming the allergic party for being selfish (oh the irony).
I’ve said it before and will say it again: yes, of course; we all must take care of our own needs and weigh our own risks, even if that means reducing our flying. But making other passengers aware of a deadly allergy is not too much to ask: it’s reasonable and wise. Those with allergies should not be shut out of travel when their allergy can in almost all cases be controlled with a little bit of teamwork and occasionally a small sacrifice of holding off on the consumption of certain foods on a plane. It’s the Golden Rule. Treat others the way you wish to be treated…
image: Lianne Mandelbaum
I hear you on the Golden Rule and it’s a good point overall. I am less sure of ‘small sacrifice of holding off on the consumption of certain foods on a plane’ though. TPG angle seems to be appropriate:
In reality, the science shows that people with peanut allergies can safely fly with minimal precautions — no need to ask the airline to create peanut-free zones, hand out explainer notes and free snacks to your entire cabin or worry yourself to death about a fatal cloud of peanut dust. .. the No. 1 weapon in your arsenal when traveling with peanut allergies will actually be sanitary wipes. The severe reactions to food allergies, including peanuts, don’t happen unless you actually ingest the food — sure, skin or airborne contact with peanut proteins may cause itchy eyes, runny noses and sneezing, but it won’t be life-threatening. Merely smelling peanuts won’t cause a reaction either; the peanut proteins that are the allergens simply don’t travel like that.
“Peanut dust doesn’t blow off peanuts,” Dr. Hugh Windom, an allergist, immunologist and clinical professor at the University of South Florida, said. “You really have to eat a food to have a food-allergy reaction. There’s never been a serious reaction, never been a death from non-consumed exposure to food.”
https://thepointsguy.com/news/why-you-dont-need-to-panic-if-youre-flying-with-a-peanut-allergy/
I’d like to hear from a doctor not located in Florida. They cannot be trusted.
ok. not in Florida: Dr. Tania Elliott, American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, in an AARP article:
Forget turbulence. For travelers with allergies, common triggers such as perfume, pet dander and peanuts can turn a routine flight into an uncomfortable or even unsafe experience. But experts say there’s no reason for allergic passengers to fear flying. With the right preparation and in-flight caution, you can prevent an allergic reaction when you fly.
Unlike those with pet allergies, peanut-allergic passengers don’t have to worry about having a reaction to particles they inhale from the airplane’s recirculated air, Elliott says. That’s because the peanut protein that triggers an allergic reaction doesn’t stay suspended in the air for long. Reactions are caused by contact — touching a tray table that has trace amounts of peanut dust and then your mouth, for example.
To prevent that sort of exposure, Elliott and Mendez advise peanut-allergic passengers to thoroughly wipe down their seat and surrounding surfaces, including armrests and the tray table. As with pets, peanut policies vary by airline. Some don’t serve peanuts at all, others allow passengers to ask ahead of time that peanuts not be served on their flight, and some might institute a nut-free “buffer zone” around a passenger who requests it. Regardless of the policy, other passengers can still bring peanuts on board, Elliott notes.
https://www.taniaelliottmd.com
Multiple articles and sources recommending wiping down surfaces as the #1 precaution. Not what I would have expected myself, but it makes sense to me.
I get it, hating on Florida is popular because of a Governor who doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut.
With that said, as a moderate Democrat who has called Florida his home for his entire life and is also a physician it is insulting that because of DeSantis and his Surgeon General, all Floridian MDs are lumped into the same boat as those two.
Tree nut allergies are difficult because the science is disparate on the subject. Some studies show that nut dust is a thing and can be dangerous and other studies show that it isn’t a thing.
At the end of the day, the science is not clear, so the best course of action is to be conservative (not politically, medically conservative) and err on the side of caution.
Try and prevent the person from coming in contact with nuts, it is just the easiest solution until science can make a clear determination if it is a problem or not.
Politics in 2023 is toxic and I absolutely hate that everything is political, some things are just things and aren’t political.
As a side note, Matthew how does one get in contact with you, if they don’t use Social Media? Do you have an email address one can use?
> Some studies show that nut dust is a thing and can be dangerous and other studies show that it isn’t a thing.
Citation very much needed.
Studies DO NOT show that.
Here is a nice summary from AAAAI.
And I am a pulmonologist. Not from Florida but that should also not matter.
https://www.aaaai.org/allergist-resources/ask-the-expert/answers/old-ask-the-experts/peanut-air-travel
“The bottom line is that flying with a peanut allergy and being exposed to potential sources of peanut in the cabin is not likely to represent an increased risk to the peanut allergic flier.”
This is an attention/extortion attempt, despite facts to the contrary of her claims and pearl clutching.
@IT – there’s a contact button on most pages: https://liveandletsfly.com/contact
Great response thanks!
There are aspects to the science that are clear though, right?
Like, for example, that in the US alone, over the past 30 years, more than 15,000,000,000 passengers have flown on airplanes and none of them have died of peanut dust, right?
And billions of these passengers flew on planes that were openly serving peanuts to the majority of the passengers, and no one died.
Caution is one thing. Forcing other people to do a variety of things because you are afraid of something that has an exceedingly low probability of happening is another.
Interested Traveler–u have to bring up your left-wing politics… Joe should be the one keeping his mouth shut as he has NO idea of what he is saying with his dementia.. You should move to New York if u hate our great Governor De Santis so much!!!!Vs voting for the other side and more taxes,more government,more regulations.. like in BLUE STATES!!! PS I am over the multiple peanut announcements..Wear a mask,face shield gloves and carry your epi-pen.. I am allergic to cats but do not get any accomodations with all of the flying pets!!
Several studies have been made on the fact that peanut dust doesn’t really exist in any meaningful sense. It’s not really a debate at this point.
Münchhausen-by-proxy does, however, very much exist.
She wants the power and attention that comes from controlling other people’s actions. She wants the announcement.
I wish Lianne Mandelbaum (talk about irony with that name, huh) wouldn’t be such a stereotype.
Poor Josh. I hope he develops an allergy to his mother before she does something worse to seriously mess with his health for the attention.
On a recent UA flight in F, the f/a quietly asked those around a peanut allergic person if we wouldn’t mind refraining from eating nuts or things with nuts in them, including the ramekin of nuts that now comes with the meal service (or with drinks if the f/as are feeling energetic). No one complained to put on their allergist hat and decreed that nut allergies weren’t a “thing.” We all did what caring humans do: didn’t eat nuts.
I’m sorry science offends you. It’s still science, though; it doesn’t change because some American wants attention.
I think what happened on your flight is the Golden Rule approach and it was nice that everyone did that. That being said I’m not sure it’s the best option, as it perpetuates fear-based mindsets. It speaks to the larger fear-based mindset that is so prevalent in western medicine. I would need a psychologist to weigh in on the the best way to overcome fear.. coddling it or facing it directly. But either way we have long ways to go to get the public out of the fear-based narratives, so I guess the Golden Rule is a good airline approach in the meantime? I’m torn on this one.
Your response is measured and I respect that. I, however do not think it perpetuates a fear based mindset. The potential for a bad outcome does exist. I wipe down seats , windows, armrests, tv controls, seat belts and buckles … I travel with plastic to cover the nuts invariably between the seats and on the floors , we do not use cups w ice on the plane, and we wipe off the rest room door handle ( and sink, etc)
That said, if someone is eating nuts next to my family, and they grab onto the back of my kids seat as they get up, or open the baths door with peanuts or nut butter on their hands and my child touches the same object and their face or mouth… we’ll, you see where I am going with this.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just respect one another and try to be kind? I know I would like that very much.
Measured is not how people usually refer to me 🙂
I suppose jcil’s suggestion of banning nuts in aviation completely makes the most sense then versus the current state. But there are other things people are allergic to as well, so to jcil’s other point, where does it end? And science points to peanut dust not being a thing, so it’s confusing.
I can’t imagine being an FA trying to create “buffer” zones with all of their other responsibilities. So I guess perhaps the entire plane needs to be a buffer zone
Sounds like it’s time for you to drive places, dear.
Where does a caring human being draw the line? How close to the person should people refrain from eating nuts–one seat, one row, the entire cabin, the entire airplane?? How about the terminal? What if the person sitting on the previous flight ate a bunch of nuts and then touched the seat and tray table? What should be the criteria–does it save a life, does it save a person from worry, does it save the person’ mother from anxiety??? Don’t tell me to use common sense, because that concept is no longer applicable in today’s world.
Maybe the standard should be that any substance known to, or suspected to, cause an allergic reaction in any person should be permanently banned from not just all airplanes, but any public place. Will be worth it if it saves just a single life.
I’ve been thinking ab0out this one more. I am trying to be more loving so part of me thinks Matthew is right about the Golden Rule approach. I guess I’ve had a hard time realizing that a lot of people are nervous, jittery, worried etc out there for many reasons and it makes sense to be empathetic to that. It’s way to be gracious while not needing to be right, even if the science does say otherwise. Now if we were talking everyone on the plane needs to be vaccinated against peanuts..then that’s a different story.
Jcil, your anger and selfishness likely go hand in hand.
I hope you or anyone you care about never has an allergy to anything, develops any illness, or is ever frightened or concerned for their health or safety.
The lack of human empathy and compassion I am seeing here is disturbing.
Patricia, seems the anger and selfishness are all on your part. I am asking a serious question–where should society draw the line when it comes to dangerous activities or situations? There are a great many things that could be banned or shut down if your criteria is that it will save a single child’s life. You yourself are placing your child at a risk just by driving to the airport and getting on an airplane. The risk may be small, but it is definitely not zero, and I can almost guarantee that , unfortunately, there will be men, women, and children killed in a airplane incident in the next ten years. So where do you draw your line? Use your imagination instead of jumping to conclusions about others.
Does it help if I point out that some prescription medications have nuts in them?
Now we can have real ethical battle Royale– one person’s medication needs vs another’s buffer zone.
Can I demand that a buffer zone be made around me so that I am not near anyone with an allergy to my medication?
I don’t mind refraining from eating nuts if it means that much to someone. But said person using a facemask (and goggles?) would be the “correct” thing since they are the ones with the issue?
“‘I don’t care what you’re going to say or what you’re going to show me. I’m telling you, this is not going to happen on this plane. So what are you going to do about it now?’
I tend to believe there are a few of Sara Nelson’s acolyte thugs that are actual garbage humans, but even I can’t imagine this scenario actually happened. I surmise there’s some embellishment at play here. It’s a tweet from a blue-check nobody, after all.
It could have been me
Jan, blue check nobody! That was a good one …
You are so erudite!
I hope you or anyone you care about never has an allergy to anything, develops any illness, or is ever frightened or concerned for their health or safety.
The lack of human empathy and compassion I am seeing here is disturbing.
‘Patricia Mangelli Reiter” lmfao, she’s on a holy internet crusade.
By the way I didn’t offer my opinion as to whether it was not unreasonable to request removing peanuts from the plane, I just said that the way she described the FA who denied request is too over the top that it almost seemed Saturday-morning-cartoon-villain-like. You should slow down your internet rambling and actually read, Patricia.
Matthew, a peanut is not a tree nut. Referring to a peanut allergy as a tree nut allergy is inaccurate. Some people are allergic to both peanuts and tree nuts, but there are many who are allergic to only peanuts or only tree nuts (or even more specifically to only certain types of tree nuts).
I can’t help but feel sorry for this boy though. His mom, in her own words, feels that him flying is just as dangerous and navigating a live landmine. It seems he flies an awful lot given the claimed severity- how often would you voluntarily walk your child past a live landmine? And when they do this his mom asks the crew to make an announcement that there is a boy with a potentially fatal nut allergy sitting in row X. I can’t imagine how hard that must be for him. His parents repeatedly put him in a situation that they know is terribly dangerous for him, and each time it’s marked by a public announcement.
1. She knows it’s not dangerous for him unless he actually ingests peanuts.
2. No flying – no announcement. Hence the flying.
Poor Josh.
I think the bigger question is whether Mama Karen/Lianne will be accompanying Josh to college and roaming the dorm/residence hall requesting that a peanut free zone/perimeter is observed within 5 doors of his room.
The kid is going off to college….if he can’t figure out how to prepare for daily life with an allergy without Mom towering over ready to fly off at the very sight of a peanut, how the heck is he gonna deal with the drunken girl (or guy) passed out in the middle of the quad clutching a bottle of skrewball (peanut butter whiskey)?
Sorry this is nothing more than clickbait. The kid clearly survived the flight, despite the lack of enforcement. Allergies are real for sure. But if this was indeed a life-threatening situation where Mama Karen/Lianne had to ensure that no peanuts were present on their specific flight….then why risk actually taking the flight?!?! She’s essentially gambling with her kids life to prove a point.
Everyone has to live their lives . No one should have to refrain from traveling because of a disability.
You can fly with every other medical condition or disability…, the world has to be thoughtful and considerate to all except allergy sufferers?
I pray for understanding…
OK, I’m allergic to screechy Karens. It makes me break out and hyperventilate and could actually kill me just as much as peanut dust.
What now? How do I ban you from flying, Karen?
Not true. There are many conditions in which people cannot fly. Some people should refrain from travelling because it is actually dangerous for them and dangerous to others around them.
Furthermore, if you recognize that an activity is particularly dangerous for your child your primary obligation is to keep your child safe– not to expose your child to dangers for the sake of proving a point to others. The point must be proven by means other than you exposing your child to the very danger that you argue is present.
A child with a fragile spine should not play football– taking your kid to play football to become paralyzed to argue the point that football is too violent would be an unethical and possibly even criminal act on the part of the parent.
If we believe this parent fully– that nut dust exposure is fatally dangerous to her child then her actions in the current environment are entirely unethical. The only way we can be fooled into listening to her rather than chastising her is because we already unconsciously know that risks are not as great as she presents.
It’s obvious to me why there was an inconsistency between her outbound and her inbound flights… As stated in the article, United literally just changed their policy on nut allergies in January to include an announcement and an attempted buffer zone…. this was just weeks prior to this woman’s flight. In a perfect world every flight attendant and every supervisor would be knowledgable about the new protocol from day 1 of the change, but given United’s huge staff and worldwide reach, it’s clear that the staff on her second flight were still following the old policy. Up until January, United had a policy of no announcement, and no attempted buffer zone, because this was thought to provide false reassurance of an allergy-free flight. It wasn’t until Canadian government regulations forced United to adopt the Canadian policy to continue operating in Canada that the policy was updated in January. In any case, this woman clearly just wants attention as evidenced by her Twitter handle and her agenda.
I am not in any way defending the deplorable attitude and behavior of this “supervisor”, but the only place I’ve ever heard of this new allergy policy is on your blog when you wrote about it last time. Maybe those who make policy at United should share their new policies with the rest of the employees. I sometimes get annoyed that I learn far more about my job from you than from United. That said, rudeness and unkindness is never called for.
I think you make a fair point.
Has anyone ever requested compensation for not being able to eat the food they brought on board because an FA made one of these announcements? It only seems fair. I frequently have a PB&J or trail mix for domestic flights not on F. Even the snack boxes have nuts.
I hope you or anyone you care about never has an allergy to anything, develops any illness, or is ever frightened or concerned for their health or safety.
The lack of human empathy and compassion I am seeing here is disturbing.
Oh, stick your “empathy” where the sun don’t shine. Aren’t you the same people who celebrate violence if done by the right people?
Science says peanuts need to be ingested to be a problem. All you want is attention and control over others’ lives.
Guess what? There’s a LOT of people in your life whose lives would be better without you. So have some empathy. Go away.
This woman is a wacko activist. Did anyone else witness this interaction?
She’s is a responsible caring mother.
Define whacko…. Maybe that’s where what I don’t understand…
She’s making her son ill for attention.
And I’m curious why her disgusting racist remarks haven’t surfaced yet. Calling people the n-word is in Lianne’s past and she had better tone it *way* down.
Why does he fly so much?
Why isn’t he masked if inhalation of nut dust could kill him? Why no gloves?
Every time I hear of this woman I am more disgusted.
It is unfortunate that her son has a severe allergy. But it is not the responsibility of another person to alter their behavior as a result. Her constant need to demand compliance from others is rude and selfish.
I have been to her site (she got free clicks from me) and read many of her diatribes and supporting documents. In no way does it change my opinion that her actions are disgusting.
She has made a career out of whining, supposedly on behalf of her son. I would think as he ages, he is more and more humiliated by her – unless he has been drilled to also believe his needs are more important than any others.
If she and her son cannot safely or comfortably travel on a commercial flight as-is, then she needs to charter a plane to her specifications.
BTW, my daughter has a nut allergy. She and I are responsible for keeping her safe. No one else. I would never think to tell – or even ask – another passenger to alter their behavior on her account. It that would be incredibly hateful for us to do so.
Hateful? That’s a a strong feeling…
May you find grace.
I totally agree with you
And what keeps the allergic person from refusing beverage service and wearing gloves and a mask?Why should strangers be more responsible for the health of the child than the child themselves?
I hope you or anyone you care about never has an allergy to anything, develops any illness, or is ever frightened or concerned for their health or safety.
The lack of human empathy and compassion I am seeing here is disturbing.
But you are correct, no one is responsible for anyone else. I hope you never need anyone’s help. Bless your heart.
As masks work so well to stop tiny viruses, there’s probably about 1000 in this tiny period . Therefore surely wearing one of those marvellous KN95/100 would stop the peanut allergens in their tracks.
The divide between folks who are sympathetic to the allergy and those who think it’s a load of hooey and an imposition is fascinating. I have a hypothesis that most of the “load of hooey” camp have never had a loved one with a serious food allergy. It doesn’t seem “real” until you see your own family member getting terribly sick because of some uncaring stranger’s actions.
Might that mom be a total drama queen, making a fuss to get attention? Were they taking all reasonable precautions? Maybe, maybe not. I don’t know her, and I wasn’t there. But I know for myself and my daughter that we would rather sink through the floor than ask yet again whether the greasy slick on her plate is the butter sauce that we begged them to leave off because of her dairy sensitivity,,, only for her to be sick for the next three days after the bored server’s reassurance.
True, that’s not airborne. True, in my daughter’s case it’s not life-threatening. But when you see your child suffer because other people think it’s not real — the Munchausen comment, for instance — its sad and scary. What will they put in my daughter’s food next just to prove she’s “faking” it? No matter what precautions you take, you are still, sometimes, at other people’s mercy.
I think some people won’t get it until they experience it for themselves, unfortunately.
it sure sounds like a ridiculous demand that no one else eat peanuts because of her son’s allergy. I have never heard of an instance where someone suffering from an allergy got hurt because of what someone else is eating. She sounds like an overprotective mother who likes to be the center of attention.
What’s next? It’s a matter of time until a vegan demands a meat free zone around his/her seat
Come on Rolf, that’s not a reasonable analogy.
I know someone who is very allergic to peanuts; who has almost died. That’s very different than one who chooses not to eat meat.
I am quite certain that the person you know with a peanut allergy did not almost die because someone else ate peanuts. Am I wrong?
We typically buy a can of mixed nuts and put them in a ziplock bag before traveling. A small handful is nice to quell a hunger pang, especially on a long-haul flight. If someone nearby asked that we not eat nuts during the flight we would comply. No big deal. No crisis. Matthew is right, the Golden Rule applies.
Kind of crazy mother that will drive her son to be trannie.
No one is going to die because their seatmate a handful of peanuts. Get real, people.
No one should be treated rudely, especially a mother protecting her child. That said, I have severe nut allergies and travel with a mask over nose and mouth; I also wipe down my seat area and carry an EpiPen, but that’s it. American and United offer nuts to premium class passengers which I gently decline advising of my allergies. I’ve never had problems. Further, I can’t – nor can the airline – control the volume of food brought aboard by passengers who pick up food from airport vendors which may contain items to which others are allergic. Is there any mention if the boy used a mask to protect himself from ingesting particulates?
United needs to be consistent, which it was not in the case referenced above, but mamma bear needs to be respectful of the other 100 plus people aboard who shouldn’t be required to accommodate her son’s unfortunate condition.
If we all disclosed everything about our health history and social status, half of us would not be qualified to fly; diabetes, heart trouble, anxiety, fainting, schizophrenia, incontinence, or maybe a criminal history.
And last but not least, nut allergies. But they don’t serve nuts anyway. And I bring my own.
I once had a housemate with a severe peanut allergy. One day, someone brought home pad thai with peanuts and put it in the fridge. The housemate ended up in the emergency room. Not every peanut allergy is that severe, but such cases do exist.
When a flight attendant asks me not to eat peanuts on a flight, I think about how inconvenient it would be if another passenger had a medical emergency that diverted the flight. Not to mention hurting the other passenger, it would also inconvenience me. The peanuts are never worth it.
Nut allergy dust can be a real problem for some people. Especially in the captive space on a plane when much of the plane is eating it. Don’t worry about the “science”– this is one doctor’s comment. The reality is flights have been grounded and people put in the icu on this basis. It’s real, believe me I have seen it in my own family and it’s scary. I am not sure if one person eats it very far away from you– it’s more about it being a large exposure in an enclosed space or a smaller exposure from the neighbor in your buffer zone. We are fortunately a family of 5 and the buffer immensely helps our family member. I would suggest if you’ve never lived it just to have some trust. Epipens do not save everyone and prevention is best.