Treacherous Treats When Traveling: Flying And Fun With Food Allergies

The main message of many of my other allergy-related pieces surrounds the fact that nobody with food allergies should live in fear, trembling as they wonder what meal next approaches. Instead, I argue that it is important to maintain safety, while also acknowledging the value of a good grub (even if it expands beyond one’s normal, frequented restaurants). Although, I must be honest; on my recent excursion to New York City, I saw the difficulty in preserving this optimistic mindset. Yes, it can absolutely be nerve racking to hear a “I think it should probably be fine” from waiters when your entire life is on the line. And, yes, it is discouraging to enthusiastically walk into the ice cream parlor to see a large sign that reads, “This is NOT a nut free facility! We suggest you take caution if you have allergies.” The list goes on. Nobody can convey to you that it is “not the end of the world” because, for you, it may very well be. This anecdote is in no way meant to frighten you; although, it should serve as a reminder to be cautious with what you and maybe loved ones with allergies eat. However, the main purpose of this piece is to educate about what the current situation and best course of action is for those who travel with food allergies.

Let’s begin where the adventures begin: flying. The stereotype of an airline flight, in my mind at least, involves peanuts and/or tree nuts being handed out to all travelers. And, even from a young age, I always thought, What about me? I am stuck in an enclosed tube in the air with a material that could easily lead to my demise. Weapons are not allowed in aircrafts, but somehow an ingredient that is deadly for 3 million Americans is acceptable and, in some ways, idealized? A simple solution would be for me, someone with non-airborne allergies, to kindly refuse the snack, but nobody seems to ponder on the fact that my fellow passengers might enjoy peanuts and choose to indulge in the nutty treat. Though likely not ill-intentioned, it is also possible that passengers might choose to buy nut products in the airport, and they could potentially bring the snacks with them through security, as TSA allows for this allows for this as well. While TSA does allow for EpiPens to be brought on the aircraft, this resolution is plainly not sufficient, especially for those with airbourne allergies. Because of this, I have compiled the standards and potential solutions for popular U.S. airlines to inform on the current policies of each company. For non-U.S. airline policies, please visit Amar Hussain’s article, which explains these in detail, while also providing links to all related/necessary websites. It is valuable to remember that airlines cannot claim responsibility for completely abolishing nuts, but they each have their own disappointing statements; a majority of these airlines suggest talking with your doctor for proper medical care and advice. For the following information in chart form, click here.

• At Alaska Airlines, they are unable to ensure a nut free flight. First class meals may contain nuts. Their (partial) solution is that you may speak to the gate agent for pre-boarding or cleansing your seat and surrounding area. Call (800) 252–7522 for further questions and/or concerns.
• At Allegiant, they are unable to ensure a nut free flight, and inflight food may contain nuts. Their (partial) solution is that you may pre-board to clean your seat and surrounding area, and you may be reseated to prevent exposure. Visit https://www.allegiantair.com/customer-request-assistance for further questions and/or concerns.
• At American Airlines, warmed armed nuts and nut products are served inflight. They cannot adapt to stop serving food with allergens, nor can they guarantee the plane will be free of nut residue. Their (partial) solution is that for some inflight meals, you may order a special meal on aa.com; you must let the gate agent know you ordered this meal. Call (800) 433–7300 for further questions and/or concerns.
• At Delta Air Lines, they are unable to ensure a nut free flight. Their (partial) solution is that if you notify them of a peanut allergy, they will not serve peanut or peanut products inflight; non-peanut snacks will be served instead. If you notify the gate agent, you are able to preboard and clean your area but you must supply your own cleaning materials. Call (404) 209–3434 for further questions and/or concerns.
• At Frontier Airlines, they are unable to ensure a nut free flight. There is no advice aside from physician contact on their website. Call (801) 401–9004 for further questions and/or concerns.
• At Hawaiian Airlines, they are unable to ensure a nut free flight. Food served inflight may contain nuts. No announcements or alterations will be made. Their (partial) solution is that if you ask a gate agent, you may pre-board and sanitize your seat and surrounding area. There is no further advice aside from physician contact on their website. Call (800) 367–5320 for further questions and/or concerns.
• At JetBlue Airways, they do not serve peanuts, but they do serve tree nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts) and some other products may contain peanuts. Therefore, there is no way to ensure a nut free flight on behalf of JetBlue or other passengers. Their (partial) solution is if you tell a crew member about the allergy, they will create a buffer zone, where the person with the allergy will have one row in front and one row behind without any nut products. Call (800) 538–2583 for further questions and/or concerns.
• At Southwest Airlines, they do not serve peanuts, but sone snacks may contain peanut products. There is no way to ensure a nut free flight. Their website does not provide any advice besides reading the labels on their snacks. Call (800) I-FLY-SWA for further questions and/or concerns.
• At Spirit Airlines, they serve peanuts inflight. There are no nut free flights. Their (partial) solution is if you inform the gate agents and flight attends, they will create a buffer zone where the person with the allergy will have one row in front and one row behind without any peanut products. They will allow you and one other person preboard to clean your seat and surrounding area. Text (877) 728–3555 with “Hello” for further questions and/or concerns.
• At United Airlines, they do not serve peanuts, but some snacks and meals may contain major allergens. There is no way to ensure a nut free flight. They are unable to remove nut products. Their website was completely contradictory and mentioned that they both can and cannot create buffer zones, creating lots of ambiguity in their concern for the safety of their passengers. Call (800) UNITED-1 for further questions and/or concerns

If you took a detailed glance, you might have noticed that I put “(partial)” next to solution simply because this information and advice is nowhere close to satisfactory. Not a single airline is able to ensure a nut free flight, which directly means that they cannot provide safety. Additionally, the airlines seem to be making no effort to provide this security, making it clear that they are unable to create buffer zones or deny dangerous snacks to other passengers; in fact, most of the above resources simply suggest contacting your physician, which is beyond insufficient when 30,000 feet in the air. Action needs to be taken immediately to make flying more safe for those with allergies. It is time to cleanse the planes and cleanse our palettes, opening our minds to snacks that might make many passengers much more secure.

Aside from these flight experiences, it is also essential that EpiPens are brought and kept in an accessible location; some suggestions include a bag, pocket, special accessory, and more. Ideally, bring more than one EpiPen, as it can be useful to bring more than you need as a precaution; remember excessive is impressive in these cases. Additionally when dining out, make sure to question your server; it does not matter if you are being bothersome or redundant, as this is necessary to ensure your safety. “I think it’s alright” is not an acceptable response; remember excessive is impressive and ask them to question the chef or other waiters, reminding them you are placing your life in their hands. Especially considering nut allergies, there are certain culinary locations I have found are especially precarious; candy stores, ice cream shops, bakeries, coffee shops, Asian and African restaurants, and more tend to use nut ingredients, meaning that the value of your inquiries increases in these spots. Lastly, like all the airlines mentioned, it can be advantageous to contact your doctor for your personalized, optimal travel plan. Hopefully positive change is approaching, but, as of right now, precaution is your best option. Stay safe and enjoy your food!

References

Hussain, A. (2022, May 25). Flying with allergies [includes nut policies for U.S. airlines]. UpgradedPoints.com. Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/flying-with-allergies/#:~:text=Peanuts%20are%20not%20served%20on,accommodate%20requests%20for%20buffer%20zones.&text=If%20notified%20in%20advance%20of,to%20clean%20your%20seat%20area.

Julie. (2022, April 11). How to travel with a peanut allergy and see the world. Earth Trekkers. Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://www.earthtrekkers.com/how-to-travel-with-a-peanut-allergy-and-see-the-world/

Sicherer, S. H., Muñoz-Furlong, A., Burks, A. W., & Sampson, H. A. (1999). Prevalence of peanut and tree nut allergy in the US determined by a random digit dial telephone survey. The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology, 103(4), 559–562. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0091-6749(99)70224-1

Transportation Security Administration. (n.d.). Nuts. Nuts | Transportation Security Administration. Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/nuts

Transportation Security Administration. (n.d.). What can I bring. Travel | Transportation Security Administration. Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/medical