citrus allergies and flying
 

We fly next week on AirTran and one in our party is allergic to all things citrus.

You just don't realize how much citrus has become a buzz word in cleaning products until you try to pick a citrus-free one out of the many versions on the store shelf!

We will be asking the doctor about traveling, but what about sending a message to the airline?

Anyone have tips of what to do? Thanks!

I really don't think that there is much the airline can do so would recommend taking your epipen with you.You can tell them you have an allergy but other than not serving someone orange juice or lemons in a drink 3 rows in front or behind-?

Not just airline serving OJ - but since they don't serve fgood, there is no way to control someone peeling an orange a row behind you, wearing citrusy cologne, giving their kid a mixed juice drink with citrus.

While allergies are troublesome, sometimes dangerous, and I believe strongly in reasonable accomodations for those with a variety of disabilities, in this case I do not think airline can help you.

does a mask help?

&quot;<i>what about sending a message to the airline?</i>&quot;

I don't see any purpose for doing this. There is just way too much completely out of the airlines control. Passengers can bring fruit on the plane, can wear citrus-y fragrances, etc. Plus they aren't going to take orange juice off the flight.

How does this person manage in every day life? Same strategies would work on a flight.

I was on a BA flight couple years back where a passenger had a very serious allergy to oranges. The crew announced this and added that they had removed orange juice from the meal and drinks service for this reason and asked that no-one ate oranges or drink their own orange juices. But that was BA and on a shorthaul international flight.

Since a great many foods and drinks contain ingredients derived from citrus fruits, just removing orange juice would not have helped if a person were truly allergic to &quot;citrus&quot; (whatever that means). And removing citrus from the current flight doesn't mean that no traces of it remain from the previous flight. Fortunately, people with substance allergies of this kind often have symptoms only when they know or suspect that the allergen is present, so its real presence or absence may not be a factor.

People with severe allergies to common substances should not fly, as there is no way to fully control those substances inside an airplane, and there's no easy egress if symptoms should develop.