Air Canada denies seat to N.S. man with peanut allergy
May 11, 2011, 7:14 am
#1
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Air Canada denies seat to N.S. man with peanut allergy
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...ir-canada.html
A Nova Scotia woman wants an explanation and a refund from Air Canada, after her son was denied a seat on a plane leaving Halifax last weekend because he's allergic to peanuts.
Matthew Burns, 19, of Louisdale, Cape Breton, who has a severe peanut allergy, was headed to Fiji for a two-week stint of volunteering. April Burns said her son is no stranger to travelling and has never been refused by an airline before.
A Nova Scotia woman wants an explanation and a refund from Air Canada, after her son was denied a seat on a plane leaving Halifax last weekend because he's allergic to peanuts.
Matthew Burns, 19, of Louisdale, Cape Breton, who has a severe peanut allergy, was headed to Fiji for a two-week stint of volunteering. April Burns said her son is no stranger to travelling and has never been refused by an airline before.
May 11, 2011, 7:30 am
#2
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So to summarize, this individual did not take responsibility to ensure that he complied with airline policy (designed specifically to protect his health), and this is now AC's fault.
I have no issue with how AC handled this. The policy is well-known and publicized, the travel agent did not ensure the airline was made aware of the allergy, the family did not double check, so they were denied boarding. Where's the issue?
Their complaint is with the travel arranger. But they haul it in to the media to try and shame AC into compensation.
I have no issue with how AC handled this. The policy is well-known and publicized, the travel agent did not ensure the airline was made aware of the allergy, the family did not double check, so they were denied boarding. Where's the issue?
Their complaint is with the travel arranger. But they haul it in to the media to try and shame AC into compensation.
May 11, 2011, 7:45 am
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"We fly about four or five times a year to different countries," she said. "In March 2010, we went to the Bahamas — from Halifax to Toronto, Toronto to the Bahamas — and there were no problems, no questions, nothing."
The situation could have probably have been handled better from AC's end if the CSM/Lead really told the husband "You're on your own." Whoever arranges travel for RBC should have done better.
May 11, 2011, 8:20 am
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Slanted news truth as usual.
true the gate agent might have handled it a bit more diplomatically (remember basing the judgment on crappy news reporting), but ultimately it is up to RBC and the traveler to know the rules.
Granted there is some inconsistently since they did travel the few times (LOL at "frequent flyers") and didn't have any issues.
true the gate agent might have handled it a bit more diplomatically (remember basing the judgment on crappy news reporting), but ultimately it is up to RBC and the traveler to know the rules.
Granted there is some inconsistently since they did travel the few times (LOL at "frequent flyers") and didn't have any issues.
May 11, 2011, 8:31 am
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I have to wonder what makes airplanes so special to those with peanut allergies. Wouldn't they be exposed to peanut particles on other modes of public transport, like the bus or the train? What about in a shopping mall or a food court?
Besides being in a confined space for possibly hours at a time, the air is probably cleaner inside an airplane and Air Canada, AFAIK, no longer serves peanuts on its flights.
How will Air Canada even enforce a peanut-free zone if passengers bring their own peanuts on board? Are they going to have the authorities detain those passengers who eat peanuts in peanut-free zones on arrival for not following a FA's instructions?
Besides being in a confined space for possibly hours at a time, the air is probably cleaner inside an airplane and Air Canada, AFAIK, no longer serves peanuts on its flights.
How will Air Canada even enforce a peanut-free zone if passengers bring their own peanuts on board? Are they going to have the authorities detain those passengers who eat peanuts in peanut-free zones on arrival for not following a FA's instructions?
May 13, 2011, 1:05 pm
#7
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Not sure about "enforce" but I was on a flight earlier this week where they came on the PA and specifically requested people not to eat any <something more than just peanuts> on the aircraft during that flight due to the presence of a passenger with severe allergy.
May 13, 2011, 1:12 pm
#8
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So why do they need 48 hours to create a 'peanut-free zone' then? Looks like they can do it on the spot just as easily.
May 13, 2011, 2:20 pm
#10
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I'm not sure if it's common knowledge, my brother informed me a few weeks ago. By US law, airlines cannot enforce a peanut free zone.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/04/20...ex.html?hpt=T2
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/04/20...ex.html?hpt=T2
"The Department is prohibited by law from restricting the serving of peanuts aboard aircraft unless a peer-reviewed study determines that serving of peanuts causes severe reactions among airline passengers. There has been no such peer-reviewed study, so we declined to take action at this time," it said in a statement.
May 13, 2011, 4:18 pm
#11
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May 13, 2011, 6:57 pm
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What's up with the 48 hour notice requirement to create a peanut free zone?.. his peanut allergy is only if he ingests it..
May 13, 2011, 7:22 pm
#13
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I'm not sure if it's common knowledge, my brother informed me a few weeks ago. By US law, airlines cannot enforce a peanut free zone.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/04/20...ex.html?hpt=T2
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/04/20...ex.html?hpt=T2
May 13, 2011, 7:36 pm
#14
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Discussed previously in these two threads:
Nut-free zone ordered on Air Canada
Air Canada told to create nut-free buffer zones
Nut-free zone ordered on Air Canada
Air Canada told to create nut-free buffer zones
May 13, 2011, 9:37 pm
#15
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The Air Canada website states that if you want to have a peanut-free zone established around your seat, you need to contact Air Canada at least 48 hours ahead of time. It does not state that all passengers with peanut allergies need to contact Air Canada 48 hours ahead of time or be denied boarding. If this man was denied boarding but did not demand a peanut exclusion zone, then Air Canada is violating their own policy.