Marion Leary

Hello:

I have a severe allergy to shellfish (shrimp, lobster, crab etc.), I cant be in an area where it is being cooked/served/eaten without having a severe, life-threatening reaction. I have tried to find an airline that does not serve shellfish on international flights but can't get anyone to give me a straight answer. I recently wrote about it for Huffington Post, Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/...=1486930751495

My family is flying to Ireland in the summer and I just booked a flight with Delta (GCGWVU) but there is no way to know if they will serve/sell meals with shellfish or not until the day of the flight - which makes it tricky especially if I cant get home from Ireland. I chose Delta because in the past they said once I booked with them they could make a note in my file and then they would not serve shellfish on my flight. However, when I called again to give them my confirmation number, the woman representative made a note but could not guarantee Delta wouldnt serve shellfish.

I 100% understand airlines can't regulate what other passengers bring on board- that is not what I am requesting. I just need to know what food Delta is serving on my flight from New York JFK to Ireland and then home from Ireland to New York JFK.

I would love to find an airline - Delta currently since that is who I just booked with - that can tell me which flights do or do not serve shellfish; or if an airline can guarantee they wont serve it on a flight that I am on.

As I stated in my Huffington Post blog: It really is no fun to have an anaphylactic reaction (I don’t recommend it), it is uncomfortable and scary. I have struggled for years trying to get airlines to understand my concerns. As a public health practitioner I am all about prevention! “Why wouldn’t the airlines want to make a simple announcement letting my fellow passengers know I have a severe food allergy before boarding?”, I wonder to myself. “Surely the passengers — and airlines — would prefer that to an emergent landing?”, I say to no one in particular and anyone who will listen.

I really just need to know what food will be served. Someone on another forum told me this group, FlyerTalk would know and be able to help? Any help with this would be much appreciated.

Marion Leary

Loren Pechtel

It's catering that prepares the food, I don't think the airlines have enough control to promise that no shellfish will be on the menu.

Would not sitting far from the gallery and masking up before mealtime protect you? I certainly wouldn't eat the airline food with your degree of sensitivity.

And note that the divert options are pretty limited on that flight--oceans lack airports. I don't think there's anything between Nova Scotia and Iceland.

obscure2k

One would never find shellfish on El Al. Shellfish is not kosher

chgoeditor

I haven't flown them, but have you considered Norwegian Air? They're a low-cost carrier, which might decrease the likelihood that they serve shellfish. In fact, their international long haul menu mentions fish, but not shellfish. I was going to suggest you then go to airlinemeals.net but it doesn't appear as if they have any photos of meals served on Norwegian, but I'm sure someone has posted pictures somewhere on the internet. (You could also find the Flyertalk board that focuses on Norwegian Air to pose the question.)

As a word of warning -- and you probably already know this -- but Ireland isn't the optimal destination for someone who will presumably be eating most or all of her meals in restaurants. Seafood is abundant. That said, there are many beautiful parks, so picnics in July are an option!

Giggleswick

I think that WOW, another low-cost carrier, which charges for everything, doesn't offer shellfish. At least, they don't show it on the buy-on-board menu on their website, though maybe their assorted sandwiches would include a cold shellfish one. Flying Norwegian or WOW has its own set of disadvantages, mostly regarding handling flight delays or cancellations, but if it's a life-or-death matter, it may be worth it.

bhomburg

There are airlines out there who publish their menus, like Aer Lingus or Alitalia , but limited to premium cabins.

Lufthansa lets you see the inflight catering menus online as part of their 'manage my booking' website functionality in all classes from Premium Economy upwards (not for Economy, though) , and American Airlines lets you see what's available as they allow online pre-ordering of meals from 30 days prior to departure (first and business class only).
This information is also available by calling them, so no need to do a (dummy) booking just to see the menu.

Unfortunately, Delta offers neither and limits advance food information to special meal ordering. There's no way around that AFAIK.

Check out www.inflightfeed.com and www.airlinemeals.net for additional meal information. Those websites have a ton of historical meal data.

Blueskyheaven

i have flown biz and coach on international flights including CX always did the advance request for infant/child's meal for our 15 month at those time but during the flights, the flight attendant never had any infant/child meal. But good thing was we always had foods ready for him, those pouches and small bottle food with a jug of hot water in a small mug to heat and additional cups.

It seems like all the so called advance request is JOKE and just to make you fly on their airline! I still prefer them over any US airline.

Often1

All of the published menus and meal selections are customer conveniences and not medical commitments. Each carrier makes that clear in its t&c. In addition, many people bring their own food with them either because they themselves have food allergies, are picky eaters, or just prefer to bring what they want. This is especially true in Y. You have no way of knowing whether the people on either side of you will bring shrimp salad sandwiches.

In addition, the person who sat in your seat on the flight before may have eaten seafood and that may have been dropped all over the seat (nobody thoroughly cleans aircraft between flights).

I think that you have to sit down with your allergist and ask for advice here. You are not the first person in your situation. But, you also cannot be assured that there won't be seafood served on your flight and to be frank, whether the carrier serves it as a meal option or people bring it on with them does not make much of a difference.

oldpenny16

I have traveled for decades with a shellfish allergy. If you push any airline too far, you might be told you are not going to fly! I carry my own food even if it is food bars and crackers. I never depend on an airline to meet my food requirements. I do carry 2 Epipens. Never had to use one on a flight. If a meal is being served, I try to avoid most dishes that might include shellfish. So far so good.

slawecki

id there a problem brown bagging it? you can bring peanut butter sandwiches, pizza, caviar, or god only knows what else on board. my favorite breakfast on early flights is last night's chinese dinner left overs. i have never been stopped at the tSa counter.

theremarkableflyer

please please let the airline service know IN ADVANCE so that they can let the kitchen knows and prepare a hot meal for you in advance and reheat it appropriately on the flight