John Brock

I wasn't sure where to post this but this weekend on an ORD-MAN AA flight a passenger opened a package of peanuts at his seat. The lady passenger next to him had a severe allergy to peanuts and went into immediate anaphylactic shock. The lady was taken off the plane (presumably to the emergency room) and we sat there for two hours while they searched to get her bag off for security reasons. We then had an uneventful but late flight to MAN. I don't think that the airlines have thought out how to 1) encourage people to bring their own food and snacks since there are fewer meals and 2) warning people not to bring peanut-containing products to consume. I certainly had never thought of the problem when selecting snacks to bring. In her case could even a Snickers bar next to her trigger an attack?

FWAAA

IMO, anyone so vulnerable as she apparently was needs to do much more than she did to protect themselves.

But then again, my immune system isn't so compromised or defective that peanut dust would kill me.

nixande

I am sorry for her, but if that brings her into schock yes- she has to take care of herself.

It may be that she did not know she would react this way (you usually find 'out' this way) but I cannot see a reason why I should be aware of everything around me being possible toxic for somebody else on the plain.

There are things out of curtesy I would not do - like eating garlic before a flight - but that is as far as I will go there is no other reason for me to behave otherwise. Because I dont know what everybody else is allergic to!

cme2c

So if I eat a bunch of peanuts for breakfast and then have really bad gas, could that affect someone sitting next to me?

nixande

It might not take people off the plane due to shock

Blumie

It doesn't matter what you eat for breakfast, if you have really bad gas it WILL affect those sitting around you.

TR35R

In that case, oxygen masks will automatically drop from the overhead...

inlanikai

I hope I never sit next to you.

AEpilot76

Southwest and Continental still serve peanuts, I hope she never flies on them. This peanut thing is getting a little out of control. We had a guy board the plane and ask if we served peanuts, and the flight attendant's response, was "yes, we sell cashews". Well, he proceded to tell the flight attendant that she could not sell them because he would sue the airline. For the entire flight he covered his entire body with a blanket. People have the right to eat what they want, and businesses have the right to sell peanuts if they so desire. It's horrible that this woman had such a reaction, but now she knows, I think they make those EPI pens for reactions like this, no?

annerj

Yep. I have a friend who carries one with her no matter where she goes (peanuts and bees I guess).

sllevin

Sadly, there are people who have intense allergic reactions just being near a number of things. I work with someone who has the issue with oranges and other citrus-like things; we simply don't have them in the office.

That said, when you have that type of severe affliction, it's downright silly and dangerous to travel in public -- especially in confined spaces like airplanes.

Steve

nixande

I have friends who cannot drink milk - I would die without my cafe latte ...

office for example is different for me. there you can know who is coming, etc know about it. but on a flight?

ContinentalFan

I think that the airline should have denied the guy boarding. If the threatened to sue the carrier, they should have escorted him back to the terminal while they consult with their attorneys!

CandymanJim

I have friend who is allergic to Peanuts, she has not flown in 20 years due to this issue. She just recently flew to Croatia, but made extreme efforts to insure peanuts were NOT served on any of the airlines or flights she took. It was her with the problem and it was her that would suffer, possibly die, so it was her that took responsibility.

Same issue at my sons school. One of the students is allergic to peanuts so his mom wants peanuts banned from the entire school, that would include PB & J. They ened up putting the kid by himself at a "peanut free table"

Jim

Blumie

Many schools already are peanut free. My daughter's current school is peanut free, as was her prior school. One of the kids in her class is hyper-allergic to a number of things, as a result of which everyone is required to wash their hands before entering the classroom. Seems like a minor inconvenience to allow a 6-year-old to live as normally as possible. I have no idea, however, what they do when they travel.