Peanuts,and bringing your own.
I remember the big "to do" that AC had a number of years back regarding peanuts and why AC stopped serving them.With everyone bringing their own food on-board ,there is a very real chance that this could become serious for someone.
I can see it now.Security screening for peanuts or anything that may contain peanuts :eek: .
Any thoughts??
Let's have pork scratchings instead. Who could possibly object to those?
On AC? :eek: You have been studying too hard.... :D
I understood that smell wasn't enough to trigger severe attacks but in rereading this thread that seems in dispute. I suppose the various triggers may also vary from person to person with some okay unless they come in direct contact with an allergen while others sensitivity may be much more acute.
Maybe next time I'll buy pretzels to take on a trip, or Pringle's (the empty canister often comes in handy for bringing posters home without getting damaged in my carry-on).
AC still has nuts in the MLLs if I remember correctly.
Then again, in general, the MLLs are full of nuts who talk too loudly on the mobiles...
Even so, air carriers offer no guarantees. Air Canada stopped serving peanuts on all its flights in 1998. But Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick says, “We just don't have a policy on food. It's just too difficult to police, and people have always brought on snacks, even back in the days when we served food.
“We do strive to be peanut-free, and although our suppliers have our specifications, we've always said that we cannot guarantee that our suppliers' items will be peanut-free.”
When I say hyper-sensitive let me give an example, one kid in my Niece's class hit the floor and had to be epi-penned by the teacher because some kid on the other side of the room opened a ziploc bag with a PB&J in it. It took less than a minute for there to be enough aerosolized peanut oil to set off this kids reaction.
A Winnipeg mother says her daughter's spring break was ruined because of an airline policy that can't guarantee safety for passengers with severe food allergies.
Lori Veiderman said her 13-year-old daughter, Taylor-Anne, has a severe allergy to peanuts and peanut oil.
She wanted to visit her best friend in Lethbridge, Alta.
you have to actually have contact with peanuts. Touch or taste will do.
Smell, sight or sound of peanuts is not good enough.
Sorry.
MCM.
Made on board?? You must drive the FA's nuts!! ;)
Usually people with serious nut allergies inform either the company (it's on their file) or the crew that they have a serious nut allergy and in that case, nuts would not be served on that flight.
I was once on a flight where a guy had been allergic to nuts 30 years ago and thought he'd try them again... in the air :rolleyes: . As you may have guessed, he was STILL allergic to nuts. Not as serious of an allergy as some have it, however he did have some serious symptoms requiring medical attention.
I had a couple of comments - peanuts aren't "nuts" they are legumes (vegetables) as they grow underground. I am allergic to nuts (any kind) but not peanuts. There are others who are the opposite and some allergic to both. So I find AC not selling peanuts but selling cashews from the buy on board menu to be incongruous.
I also have never heard of AC not selling nuts/peanuts onboard when they know someone has an allergy. On one YYC/YYZ flight about a year ago the guy beside me buys cashews of all things and starts munching on them, I asked him if he would mind not eating them - which apparently he did mind and refused to stop. I had to ask the FT to be moved to another seat. She told me there was nothing they could do about that sort of situation other than ask nicely and then try to move me.
I don't know about all types of allergies but I can absolutely go into anaphylactic shock from inhilation of nut dust (i.e. the stuff at the bottom of a bag of cashews). I don't favour banning things on board just generally but there has to be some consideration given to the fact if I ate a nut over the atlantic (in a mislabeled dinner for example) I'd be dead before we hit the ground - even with all the adrenaline shots in the world.
You POV is appreciated and welcome to FT! :)
As for reactions, I can have one from smell. The air borne residue can be enough if it conenctrated enough. Someone sitting next to me for a few hours eating peanuts would be a problem.
I am glad that AC does not serve peanuts any longer. Most airlines do not.
/note: the previous statement was a joke and in no way intended to belittle the condition.
I had a couple of comments - peanuts aren't "nuts" they are legumes (vegetables) as they grow underground. I am allergic to nuts (any kind) but not peanuts. There are others who are the opposite and some allergic to both. So I find AC not selling peanuts but selling cashews from the buy on board menu to be incongruous.
I also have never heard of AC not selling nuts/peanuts onboard when they know someone has an allergy. On one YYC/YYZ flight about a year ago the guy beside me buys cashews of all things and starts munching on them, I asked him if he would mind not eating them - which apparently he did mind and refused to stop. I had to ask the FT to be moved to another seat. She told me there was nothing they could do about that sort of situation other than ask nicely and then try to move me.
I don't know about all types of allergies but I can absolutely go into anaphylactic shock from inhilation of nut dust (i.e. the stuff at the bottom of a bag of cashews). I don't favour banning things on board just generally but there has to be some consideration given to the fact if I ate a nut over the atlantic (in a mislabeled dinner for example) I'd be dead before we hit the ground - even with all the adrenaline shots in the world.
Some flowers and grasses rely on the wind to pick up the pollen and seeds to further their species. Very small particles designed to be blown around to a better neighbourhood. (and up your nose)
Peanuts are a different animal. (Especially roasted ones that you find in little packets on airplanes)
They are not easily blown around - raw ones in the wild rely upon being eaten by various beats and then sh*t out in a better place. :)
I'm not saying that it totally impossible to be affected by airbourne particles of peanuts - but you would have to be surrounded by a VERY large quantity of them in a windy place. Not something that happens in most enviroments. (even airplanes)
MCM.
you have to actually have contact with peanuts. Touch or taste will do.
Smell, sight or sound of peanuts is not good enough.
Sorry.
MCM.Out of curiosity, if you don't believe that it's possible to have a reaction to aerosolized components, then how do you explain hayfever? People are going around and touching or tasting the flowers or grasses to which they have allergic reactions?
Good point. :D
But I remember seeing a few young AC FAs and I just couldn't take my eyes off of them. When they're hot, they're HOT. :D
Roasted? Salted? Honey BBBQ? :D
--
PB
Of course, would you be saying the same thing if it was a real hot FA? ;)
The 'nut' that people may have allergies to is the lowly PEANUT, which is actually a legume and not really a "nut" like cashews, walnut or almonds.
That's why you will sometimes see a notation on labels "This item was made in a facility that has been exposed to nuts" (or something to that effect). It can indeed be that toxic to some people.
As for the aerosol issue, I don't have enough information to say for sure. There was one study published in the July 2003 issue of the Journal of Allergy Clinical Immunology that suggested this is unlikely to happen but there were only 30 children in the study, a small sample size. It's possible that someone severely senstive could react, especially if there was dust involved.
On a similar note, there are a lot of people with allergies to perfumes and scents in cosmetics to the point where they are not permitted in many hospitals. A good reminder not to soak yourself in Old Spice before boarding.
Cheers,
Yes, everyone please keep their hands off my nuts. ;)
If asked not to open any packages given the severe allergic reaction senario your FA mentioned, I would, of course, comply. Does it mean, however, that I shouldn't take any nuts on any flight ever just in case this senario might arise? To that I say Nuts!
Welcome FT! I hope you enjoy your time in this community as it is indeed a wonderful resource sprinkled liberally with all kinds of nuts. :)
Just curious as to how you get that 5% statistic, however. And of that 5%, how many would suffer the most extreme form of the allergy?
Hey a solution no NUTS in Y...... just J :D
QUOTE]
My wife has an epi-pen.Very bad allergies to hazelnuts.
I know of the security issues you speak of.She has a note she carries with her from the doctor.
A Winnipeg mother says her daughter's spring break was ruined because of an airline policy that can't guarantee safety for passengers with severe food allergies.
Lori Veiderman said her 13-year-old daughter, Taylor-Anne, has a severe allergy to peanuts and peanut oil.
She wanted to visit her best friend in Lethbridge, Alta.
It was a WS flight.... ;)
You didn't read far enough:
And WestJet isn't the only airline. Lori also called Air Canada with the same concerns.
"They said the same thing," she said. "They do not serve packages of nuts, but there could be nuts in the food they serve, and they can't dictate what people bring on."
;)
Even so, air carriers offer no guarantees. Air Canada stopped serving peanuts on all its flights in 1998. But Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick says, “We just don't have a policy on food. It's just too difficult to police, and people have always brought on snacks, even back in the days when we served food.
“We do strive to be peanut-free, and although our suppliers have our specifications, we've always said that we cannot guarantee that our suppliers' items will be peanut-free.”
On reading that same note this morning... I was concerned with the several occasions I carried Timmy's bagel and p-butter on board. Always careful to clean up and not soil the seat tray... and make sure my seat mates see the pkg before opening... however, there is no way to totally elimininate the risk :confused:
Simon
I had a couple of comments - peanuts aren't "nuts" they are legumes (vegetables) as they grow underground. I am allergic to nuts (any kind) but not peanuts. There are others who are the opposite and some allergic to both. So I find AC not selling peanuts but selling cashews from the buy on board menu to be incongruous.
I also have never heard of AC not selling nuts/peanuts onboard when they know someone has an allergy. On one YYC/YYZ flight about a year ago the guy beside me buys cashews of all things and starts munching on them, I asked him if he would mind not eating them - which apparently he did mind and refused to stop. I had to ask the FT to be moved to another seat. She told me there was nothing they could do about that sort of situation other than ask nicely and then try to move me.
I don't know about all types of allergies but I can absolutely go into anaphylactic shock from inhilation of nut dust (i.e. the stuff at the bottom of a bag of cashews). I don't favour banning things on board just generally but there has to be some consideration given to the fact if I ate a nut over the atlantic (in a mislabeled dinner for example) I'd be dead before we hit the ground - even with all the adrenaline shots in the world.
Do you list this allergy on your AC PNR? My undertstanding from the GLOBE article this morning, and generally, is that if this notation is provided as part of your PNR, the advice will be made to the flight crew and the "embargo" will be announced for that flight. Otherwise, how is AC to know of your condition.
I recall flying in J a few months back and it was explained that because someone on board the flight was susceptible to this allergy, no cashews would be served with our drinks. I believe the onus is on the passenger to advise the airline of his/her condition, and the embargo on serving nuts will be put into place. If this notice is not given, the airline cannot possibly be held responsible.
And, according to a 2003 Statistics Canada survey, 2.5 per cent of Canadians age 12 or over said they had been diagnosed with multiple chemical sensitivity.
Gradually the hospitality industry is taking note. Most airlines have stopped serving peanuts, and some no longer carry pets in passenger cabins. Many hotels are making more of their rooms smoke-free.
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