Photo: faungg’s photos/Flickr
At 39,000 feet, people with nut allergies can feel like public enemy number one. Nothing can tick off the other passengers faster than a flight attendant announcing that a complimentary package of peanuts isn’t coming, because of a flier with an allergy.
Doctors say it’s highly unlikely that allergic passengers could have a reaction due to the person beside them eating nuts, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t suffer from lesser symptoms like nausea, stomach aches or anxiety. And then there is the possibility that they could have an even worse reaction by accidentally touching nut residue on a tray table or armrest (and be honest, how often have you smeared your own salty fingers on the side of the seat?) If something does happen – and there isn’t the appropriate medical care or medical personnel on board – that could lead to an emergency landing.
So does this all mean people with nut allergies shouldn’t be allowed on airplanes? In the comment section of a recent interview about this, some less sensitive travelers have suggested that those with nut allergies need to forgo flying or wear masks and gloves, rather than forcing everyone else to give up their little snack.
Lianne Mandelbaum, the founder of the website “No Nut Traveler,” says that isn’t a realistic or fair solution. She has petitioned for a nut-free buffer zone on airplanes of at least three full rows in front and three rows behind a person who is allergic. (The passengers in those six rows – seven, counting the row the allergy sufferer was in – would not be allowed to consume any nut-based products).
Mandelbaum said that she only flies with airlines that allow her to pre-board to disinfect the seat and that provide a buffer zone for her allergic son. (Not all airlines allow this; JetBlue does, she says). She told Mashable:
“If there was any other disability and people were saying they shouldn’t fly, there would be an outcry,” she said. “How is it OK to have a whole group of people who say I just won’t fly?”
So before you grumble about a nut-free flight, you should ask yourself would you rather someone had an allergic reaction, possibly forcing the flight to be diverted, or could you just do without that package of peanuts?