Airlines say "nuts" to allergy sufferers
 

Airlines leave it to pilots to take the flack, when severe allergy sufferers are deemed a risk.
Why can't there be a policy on the matter?
Airlines allow morbidly obese and folk with other medical conditions onboard.

http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/26/we...-airlines.html

Interesting. On my last DELTA flight from AMS to SEA a couple of months ago there was a cabin PA announcement prior to departure that in view of a passenger's severe nut allergy, no nuts would be served on the flight at all. Fair enough I thought.

Same thing on our Thomson Flight. Cabin announcement asking people not to eat nuts, and telling us that nuts would not be served/sold.

If you have a nut allergy, don't eat nuts - or am I oversimplifying?

I think that is one airline, not 'airlines'. Book away if you have an issue.

Standards used to be set by IATA for this type of thing. No longer, as it is contrary to competiton law.

Very much so. All depends on the severity of the allergy. When you have a plane load of people eating peanuts there could be the possibility of cross contamination by means of the cabin crew or passengers in close proximity. Hence if it is a serious allergy, best to play safe.

Nuts seem to invoke severe reactions in some people, both medical and opinion. If someone just comes out with a rash if they eat them the fuss seem's a bit much - but others can have a far more severe reaction, and taking measures is called for...

I say this after Nutgate last year. A row between PTA mothers as to whether Peanut flavoured Cornetto's could be sold at a school event, as one boy had a nut allergy of the minor kind..

Not at all, just requires the application of common sense and some caution. Seems much of the human race is now deemed incapable of using these two commodities

I sympathise with those who genuinely have a severe nut allergy which can be triggered by airborne particulates.

It is much more common now. Barely a week goes by now without at least one flight being nut free.

I side with the airlines. Most make it clear that they cannot guarantee a nut free environment. Airlines can ask people to stop eating nuts but what about the previous 600 people who had been on that aircraft and now on sector 4 who can say there are no traces of nuts in the furnishings? What about the 200 passengers who purchased nut products on the aircraft? Who can guarantee that the guy next to you didn't just devour a large bag of peanut M&Ms just prior to boarding. What of those who don't speak the language in which the 'no peanuts' PA was made? If the risk is so severe, then you shouldn't be travelling.

I don't mean to sound unsympathetic. But if it's so bad, wear a surgical mask and gloves. I see plenty of people these days doing that. It just another example of the majority having to change their way to accommodate the tiny minority. An 'allergy' is almos a badge of honour it would seem to generation snowflake. I can see airlines removing and banning all nut products as a result of today's litigious society.

I have a friend so sensitive to sesame seeds that a single one out of place (in her food) causes illness. Two or three seeds and she has anaphylaxis. No one wants that in their cabin.

Nobody can guarantee it won't happen. Airlines can't provide an allergen free cabin. In all my years of flying I've not seen ONE person come on with an allergy wearing a surgical mask. If a tiny airborne partical can cause harm then why do we never see them wearing masks?

I suppose the mere smell of nuts wafting around the cabin may well cause problems to those affected. Shame really as I always enjoyed the cashews in First.

How did we manage back in the olden days when peanuts were served to everyone, particularly on US airlines. I don't recall any issues back then.

Many of today's allergies are a lot more severe than in the past. Allergies have evolved over time whilst in the same period resistance has weakened.

Well nuts to you if I happen to take peanut butter sarnies to work for my lunch.

But if you are having lunch on the ground, any illness will be easier to deal with and the work colleague would know to avoid you!

Work colleague?! Lunch on the ground?!

Wrong end of the stick...

I wonder if there's a link between law suits and people having told the airline in advance that they have an allergy... (I'm cynical) ... so the airline(s) have decided to remove anyone who gives the airline a "warning".

Maybe the nut sufferers could "upgrade" to a single seat, hermetically sealed "cabinette".
They could convert one of the lavvies. :)

This might explain why Scoot was more inquisitive about my son's allergy recently. In the past, when I informed the FA about the epi-pen I am carrying (I seem to recall that it is required under the terms and conditions), the matter has ended there every time. This year, on two trips, the FA came back with a senior FA to quiz me about the allergy.
In my specific case, there is no threat to life as my son has not ever had an anaphylactic reaction even if he were to consume the items. The epi-pen was prescribed merely as a precautionary measure. If we could be removed from the plane because of this, perhaps I should reconsider informing the FAs in future.

Also, to crewmeal, The Peanut Institute - Allergy says
So you can still enjoy the smell of cashews. And perhaps that is why HM, we do not see them wearing masks. Unless you are crushing nuts or opening a packet of crushed nuts, I doubt there is enough airborne particles to trigger any but the most severely sensitive person (but I am not a doctor, do not take medical advice from random strangers on the internet).