Profile: csleep2
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Thank you for your comment! Would you mind elaborating on the type of study you would require before any action is taken by the DOT on this issue?
There is a question of practicality here. Peanut allergies (and other food allergies) at the current time are becoming increasingly common in children. For a hypothetical cross-country flight with a young child, how can you keep an N95 mask on them for 6 hours (the masks for particulates are not the thin surgical masks but the far thicker versions)? Seriously??
While I appreciate that a person may require peanuts to be ‘comfortable’ as asserted by csleep2, I would ask this individual to consider this proposition more fully, as I suspect that 6 hours of screaming from said toddler while the distraught parent struggles valiantly to keep the surgical mask in place will result in far greater discomfort than the loss of the 2 ounce bag of airplane peanuts. But I could be wrong –… more »
I am actually focusing on feasibility and weighing risks against benefits (and apologize for the sarcasm). But, yes, I do reject the concept that having a toddler suit and mask up for 6 hours is feasible. Just curious, but have you ever worn a surgical mask for 6 hours? I actually have, and I found it quite uncomfortable. Critically, I have the willpower and the motivation to keep it in place (because I am an adult and have the ability to modify my behavior when faced with logical demands). Toddlers do not have this ability. So now balance this against the idea of airlines needing to serve peanuts at 35,000 feet. It seems fairly straightforward to me. Personally, if you want to bring your Snickers bar on-board and eat it, that is fine. But, I do not want to be sitting anywhere near… more »
My suggestions:
1) Airlines do not serve peanuts on-board
2) All airlines have a well-documented, easily accessible, and ingrained among all flight staff policy regarding food allergies and procedures for dealing with food allergies, including:
a) Early boarding for passengers with allergies to inspect their assigned seats and either clean them or request a seat change if necessary (Southwest allows early boarding as long as you do not take an exit row)
b) Following declaration of an allergy, education of nearby passengers regarding peanut products (particularly those which may release dust that can go airborne); this could be done with a single-sided piece of paper.
c) Flexibility with seating assignments to accommodate changes if a problem is apparent.
This is not a ‘take it or leave it’ approach, but rather a balanced approach that weighs risks versus inconvenience for peanut consumers. Individual masks are not a practical solution for the most vulnerable passengers. « less
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Reading most of the comments it seems that the biggest concern is peanut allergy sufferers inhaling peanut particles. Perhaps instead of banning peanuts and peanut products outright. Airlines and the DOT can provide sufferers with HEPA airmasks which I assume will prevent individuals from inhaling peanut dust. I would think this approach would be of minimal cost (air filters can be bought for about $20 or less) and would not require a ban. If touch is a problem dressing accordingly (i.e. long clothes for the trip to minimize touching surfaces)can help decrease the amount.
I would say that if someone still insists upon a ban if these measures would work that we are then getting into a debate of my rights over your rights and my want to be comfortable compared to your want to be comfortable… more »
I think the government should do studies if they insist upon a ban and should not put one into effect without such a study. « less
I think the DOT should prove that peanuts on planes will cause the problems that other commenters are concerned about. Controlled studies demonstrating that peanuts eaten in one portion of an airplane will be sent through the air into other portions. Studies that can show that there is enough residue left from others eating peanuts to trigger reactions. Although anecdotal evidence is helpful (and I do not doubt the veracity of the claims made by others) I think facts and statistics need to be considered. perhaps some concerns such as air circulation can be alleviated. then creating a buffer zone would make more sense. The problem is that when such a subject comes up everyone uses emotion to make a decision and decisions of this nature should also be made with considering scientific facts.
This is exactly my point regarding emotional reasoning and also the idea that one individuals comfort is more important than anothers. in your zeal to ridicule you may have missed the point of alternatives and discussion which I thought was why we were here. perhaps I was wrong to thing that was what we were suppossed to be doing. Also, you assume the child will scream. I would say that perhaps you should help the child become accustomed to the mask before hand by making it a game. This has worked with other things that children must endure. Secondly you reject the notion outright and my guess is that you have never tried it. This also proves that your concern is more with what you want and not what might work. your reasoning backs us “the collective us” into a corner of take it… more »
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