TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin New AA nut allergy policy

Frankly, since I think the worst of everyone, my feeling was that half the plane would now mysteriously develop a nut allergy, so they could board first!!

Yup...I was biting my tongue and thinking the same. Nothing mentioned about MD certification of this allergy so I guess it's a good faith thing

What is confusing there was a complaint filed with the FAA by a mom with a child that has a severe nut allergy and AA filed a response to that complaint earlier this year....but..in reading the confusing response i do not see that they agreed to early boarding for such a situation...

Here is the PDF response and the link to the response if the PDF link doesn't work:

file:///C:/Users/Allen/Downloads/Answer_of_American_Airlines,_Inc_.pdf

link to PDF link

I don't see how this will prevent the person(s) in front/back/or same row from eating nuts during the flight....maybe an announcement by the flight crew?

I don't think that they could PREVENT someone from eating nuts on a flight, even if they wanted to.

What is this country coming to? We have people who want to bring peacocks, baby horses etc onto airplanes as "emotinal support animals" with no MD certification needed and the inability of the airline people to ask due to HIIPA, now we have people with nut allergies etc. At what point will the majority stand up and say enough is enough? If you have a mental disorder that requires you to have an emotional support animal then YOU need to find an alternative means of transportation. It is not fair to the other 200 people on that plane who may be allergic to your animal or have to deal with the smells of that animal if it gets spooked. Can't just take that animal onto the wing to do its business. I really wonder when the tide changed that has the majority cowering to the minority? Just my ranting.

Board early to "wipe down area". Heck, I do hat all the time and it has nothing to do with nuts---just plain dirt and germs because they don't clean planes anymore after deplaning.

Maybe airlines should put on special planes for allergies making it more difficult (one flight per week?) instead of making it easier for any excuse to board ahead of everyone.

PS so how does early boarding keep them from the area that may or may not have been exposed to nuts. And what if I happen to sit near one of these early boarders, does that mean I can't eat my doctor prescribed nuts?

Well...I guess they could make the flight a nut free flight if such an situation arose but letting them board and clean away is their way of doing something. This way everyone around them can be free to eat away....

I remember going to Fenway Park and having great roof box seats. We were stopped by an attendant at row one who told us we had to dispose of our bags of expensive Fenway peanuts because, for that game, I was seated in a designated "nut free section". No signs before/when we bought the peanuts ..no notification when we bought the tickets. I didn't have any issues with the designation but I did have issues with the lack of prior notification. I haven't seen this section designated as such since that game but I'm sure there are other sections that have take its place ..maybe randomly....but I digress...sorry

Edit: I can find no direct reference to this new policy from AA...just news articles

Edit again: ..and why just AA (bite my tongue). Don't passengers eat on other airlines? AA doesn't serve nuts so that's not the issue

It is also the ADA and the loosely worded law that is a problem with Service Animals and EAS. This is where the issue with animals started.

If there is no clear certification or proof of ANYTHING, this WILL be abused.

Reached my limit on editing but I did find this on the AA site but probably outdated BUT it does make more sense:



Edit (sorry): 1) Delta presently allows pre-boarding for travelers with nut allergies. 2) This is the complaint about AA that initiated AA's new policy:

No Nut Traveller link

We were on 2 separate westjet flights that the flight attendants announced that we had "a special guest onboard with nut allergies & please everyone refrain from eating anything with nuts in them". We had nut chocolate bars & granola bars with nuts as our snacks, so no snacks for us those 2 flights. Now we take nut free granola bars & plain chocolate or yogurt as snacks just in case. Also we were on a flight that had a small dog & a passenger was allergic to dog hair, instead of moving the dog & owner they moved the passenger to the back of the plane. She was not happy.
When they started the announcement about " a special guest on board" I thought oh what celebrity is riding home with us. Lol

My thoughts exactly

Isn't it the responsibility for the airlines to provide a cleaned aircraft for each flight?

It has always been that was, minority rules, (especially in the US).

Guess this means we won't be getting those wonderful warmed mixed nuts in First Class anymore. Might have to bring my own with a pocket hand warmer. LOL

That’s just nuts!! 😊😊

Good one. What I thought too.

Regarding the story in the link...I'm sorry, but if your child is allergic to all tree nuts she should be getting allergy immunotherapy! I do not want to be inconvenienced or have my habits changed because of you. You can chose alternate travel IMO. Keep that Epi pen close kid!

As an RN, I certainly understand the danger of nut allergies, especially in children; however, this is ridiculous! Kids go plenty of places where there might have been someone eating nuts just prior to their arrival (movie theaters, amusement park rides, bleachers at ballgames, even supermarkets come to mind). One can wipe down their seat and tray tables AFTER arriving at their seats, no need to board early (we wipe down our seats and trays all the time -- airlines are SUPPOSED to do so, but you'd be surprised at what we've found in those pockets in front of us when boarding). Just another rule for people to use phony excuses to board early or bend the guidelines to work for them. Sigh.

There are severe and mild cases of food allergies and with severe cases just being able to have your own personal seat wiped down isn't going to give any noticable protection at all. This whole policy is just a feel good one for the airline and an irritante for the majority of passengers.

All passengers who self-identify with a disability and who “need additional time or assistance to board, stow accessibility equipment, or be seated” can request early boarding, and have been able to do so for many years. See the link below to the DOT guidance.

https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/Preboarding%20Notice%20Final_0.pdf

I am allergic to peanuts and am never far from an epi pen. My allergy is not as bad as some people's in that I have to ingest peanut in order to trigger anaphylaxis. That being said, dying is a real possibility if I get a peanut. Once, I got peanuts in a cocoanut macaroon and went through six epi pens on the way to the hospital where more epinepherin was administered. There are people with much more serious conditions in which physical contact can trigger the reaction. Seems to me that a little empathy is in order. Is it really that difficult to forego nuts for a few hours? The dog, cat or whatever is an entirely different issue. Just so you all know, I will not be boarding early but I will be boarding to SXM in March. Please hold the peanuts.

Davew---when in March? I too will be flying to SXM and my doc has suggested I carry nuts since airlines no longer supply food.

I know you weren't responding to my post and I totally agree that it's not difficult to forego nuts for a few hours. But the question is 'where does it stop'? And why are dogs or cats an "entirely different issue"? I have a friend who is so severely allergic to cats that they usually trigger a severe asthma attack. Does that mean his allergy on a plane with a cat isn't as relevant as someone with a peanut allergy? It's not about empathy as much as it's about practicality. We're talking about early boarding to wipe down a seat -- something that I doubt very much is going to help anyway.

We have always traveled with a ziplock of mixed nuts on a plain or in the car. It's just a great source of energy when your needing a pickup. Also much better than that cr*p they give you as a snack in coach that we fly also. Even better with a cocktail. LOL

Yup...but a nut allergy is not a disability. It is a medical condition...and, the air in the aircraft is recirculated and the filters are only occasionally cleaned sooooo the allergen can be sitting in the filter from a previous flight or be carried from 10-20 rows back.

As was mentioned the AA (and Delta) policy is just a "We did something" event that was kinda mandated by the above reported complaint

A severe nut allergy is something that those affected deal with for their lives but, when placed in an enclosed situation with many potential triggers there is really not much in reality that can be done

Edit: It is also interesting that the complaint that was filed had to do with a MCO-NYC flight that was booked with FF miles....and they were upgraded to First Class for the return. This is where it all started because of the refusal to eliminate heated nuts in FC. If they had remained in coach they would have flown in ignorance with nut allergens flowing through the air

Many medical conditions become disabilities. Give it time.

RonDon--just curious, why nuts in particular?? If it's just FOOD, you could bring on anything under the sun. Why would your doctor recommend nuts in particular? (Not having anything to do with the question of someone else being allergic to them, just questioning what magic nuts have as far as a food, versus something else.)

I believe he was joking.

Many people on special diets are encouraged to eat nuts as they are very healthy and a good source of energy. Walnuts and almonds in particular are excellent for snacks instead of all the many other snack foods available.

We make sure we eat a few walnuts and almonds daily as you have stated they are very healthy snacks. Especially with a cocktail.

Actually, allergies are usually considered to be disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),

Why are dogs and cats an entirely different issue than nuts? Because wearing an N-95 mask eliminates breathing the dander and hair that induce allergic reactions in some people. And the dogs/cats are (sometimes) providing medical support to people who need that support. Peanuts on the other hand are not in any way a necessity for anyone. Sure peanuts are a good food but the alternatives to peanuts are vast. As I said above, its just a matter of empathy.

Keep in mind, it is the ADA and their loosely written law that has allowed so many "fake" service animals into the mix.

Perhaps we can have a discussion about the abuse of the handicap parking placard.

While many have a need for consideration under the ADA, MANY aspects of it are abused to no end and it hurts those who actually are in need.

I was on a Delta flight when they made the announcement somebody had a severe peanut allergy and not to eat any peanuts. They then proceeded to handout snacks which were kind granola bars which are obviously made in a factory that contains nut products I asked the steward just made the announcement that you're handing products that can contain nut allergens and the reply was I just I'm just here to make the announcement