Profile: hoping4this
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If your child has a true peanut allergy, was it clinically diagnosed by eating peanuts and then testing blood for IgE antibodies? If not, then you don’t know he has an allergy; you have only anecdotal evidence, which is often mistaken for true allergies.
You can fly with your son, you simply choose not to because of your unfounded fear that something will happen; that’s a choice you made and it can’t be blamed on the airlines or anyone else. You take far greater risks with yourself and your son every day, yet somehow you’ve managed to live this long.
You’re not able to objectively evaluate your risk, which is why you fall into the trap of being afraid of things that are very unlikely to happen. Far more people die every year from drowning, but I don’t think… more »
Instead of conflating the remotely possible and the inevitable. step back and look at things objectively; when you do, you’ll see there are many things that are far more likely to happen than having a severe allergic reaction on a plane. Even so, you can desensitize your son so that if he has a true peanut allergy now, he won’t in the future. « less
I have a great deal of empathy for those who have, or are related to someone who has, severe peanut allergies. Clearly, their health is much more important that my desire to snack on peanuts for a few hours, and I doubt many people could debate that.
Having said that, how exactly would such a ban on peanuts be enforced? I was on a Southwest flight not long ago, where a mom demanded that peanuts not be served on her flight with her daughter. The flight attendants complied. Mind you, this was Southwest Airlines, which had the marketing tagline “We Fly For Peanuts” for years. Common sense dictates that if your daughter has a severe peanut allergy, YOU DON’T FLY SOUTHWEST. Even if the crew agrees to suspend peanut service for this flight, the last flight served peanuts. There… more »
On the same flight I, and many friends of mine who also travel frequently, each had a bag of nuts in our carry-on. Forget for a moment that it would be impossible (if not unconstitutional) for flight crew to prevent people from eating their own snacks while flying. The mere fact that I had an open bag of nuts in my carry-on – even if I never took it out – could have been enough to trigger this girl’s allergy. The slippery-slope potential here boggles the mind. (You had peanut butter on your bagel for breakfast this morning? Sorry, sir, you can’t board this flight.)
You will never convince peanut allergy sufferers or their families that this should not be controlled, and I can see their point without agreeing with it. Consider this: I am violently allergic to dogs and cats, yet most mass-market airlines now allow pets to be stowed in the passenger compartment. I don’t recall anyone ever asking me if my health would be compromised by allowing pet dander aboard. I don’t protest, because I am responsible for controlling my own allergies, whether that means carrying a dust mask or an epi-pen aboard. If I choose to fly, I alone must be responsible for my own health. As much as allergens might affect me, other people have rights too; and to twist around a well-known saying, “My rights end where your nose begins.” « less
Thank you for your input and for sharing a personal story of how your family was directly impacted by this issue. You raise a very interesting point concerning the effects of peanut allergies not just on those that suffer from them, but also the impact they have on families/friends. The DOT is interested in learning more about how one family member’s allergy can impact the travel plans of the entire family.
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My peanut allergic son flew with me on Southwest when he was 3. I carried him in, wiped the whole area down while holding him, etc. etc. Picked up the food all around (I had let SW know about his allergy on several occasions before we boarded but nothing was done). He didn’t touch one thing and he sat in his very large car seat the whole time. About 30 min. into the flight, his eyes were swollen shut and his face was bright red… just from breathing (isn’t breathing a right we deserve?). I let the flight attendant know but all she said was “I hope you have your medicine”. THIS WAS A THREE YEAR OLD! It was really scary. Thankfully, I did have his medicine but I have never flown with him since. It makes me REALLY sad to hear all of your comments about banning other… more »
Can you imagine being given a free trip to Disney World with your child and you just can’t go because you can’t fly to get there? This is what has happened to us, just this month. It’s really sad. I can’t even tell my son about it.
So, obviously, I would support the ban of peanuts on planes. I don’t even care if someone brings them on board (well, of course, I would not want that) but packaged peanuts are a different story. The oils on your hands are on those fabric seats forever and the peanut POOF is in the ventilation system for everyone to breathe. In regards to medicines, someone mentioned earlier about a defibrillator being on board. They are prepared for heart problems but a child’s first reaction to peanuts is just as likely and deadly, so maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have one. Although, I can’t imagine someone with a peanut allergy coming on board without their medicines.
On a side note, someone commented about how this would only effect 1% of the population. I’m not sure about that number. But, I do know that out my family of 5, NONE of us can fly with my child… so not only does my son not fly, but we don’t. I would venture to say that this is the same case for most families. So, much more than 1% would be e/affected.
Thanks for letting me give my thoughts. « less