Calling Ahead About A Peanut Allergy Got Them Booted off of the Plane

For a long time now, people have wondered why airplanes still allow nuts on board even though a peanut allergy can be severe and quickly fatal; usually, though, airlines are able to accommodate people with the allergy—expect in the case of two boys traveling to Manila, who were kicked off their plane.

Korean Air and Delta Air Lines are facing criticism after two teenagers were kicked off a flight because one of them had a peanut allergy. Rakesh and Prajakta Patel’s children were flying alone from Atlanta to Manila in the Philippines with a layover in South Korea. The older teen has a deadly allergy to peanuts, and as a result, the family always carries epi-pens on planes and alerts the airline and crew that there’s a peanut allergy. This particular set of flights was an issue, though.

“We only fly Delta because they have been so accommodating with my son’s allergies,” Prajakta told Yahoo Lifestyle. “But the connecting flight was new, so we were nervous.”

The Delta leg of the flight was fine. But when the teens tried to switch to partner Korean Air’s flight, they were told peanuts would be served on the plane and were unceremoniously escorted off the flight.

“The gate agent came on the plane and told my sons to get off,” Prajakta told Yahoo Lifestyle, noting that the gate agent even pulled on her son’s shirt to encourage them to get going. “One of my kids was shaking — they’re alone in a different country. Where were they supposed to go?”

The boys eventually ended up flying back to Atlanta because they couldn’t be sure of any other airline’s peanut policy. Both Delta and Korean Air have issued apologies.

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