harvey

Sarah... <BR> We all sympathize. Suggestion: Why don't you wear some type of filtration mask/device while in the presence of nuts? Why should "everyone" accomodate you? Do you have an answer for this?

lets put

he he ;-)

lets put

hummmmm...just what would martha do i wonder??

NutsRGood4U

While I sympathize with the lady who has the severe nut allergy, I think it's a bit much to expect an airline to change their policy just to accomodate her. Since you mentioned that there are other airlines out there that will accomodate you, why not just use them and be thrilled with the fact that there are airlines out there that will work with you? Why worry about American Airlines? Do you expect every airline to accomodate you? That's a bit much, in my opinion.

Gina

While I shudder at the ramifications of getting involved with one of our favorite troll-dominated threads, I think this question does raise some interesting issues. <BR> <BR>I, too, sympathize with Sarah's plight, but wonder how we can draw the line of allergy safety on airplanes over such issues. Even if airlines stop serving peanuts, if the nut allergy is so strong that the sufferer is not even able to be around them, isn't it unsafe really for them to be on a plane or any such confined space on the off chance that someone in the row behind them might bring their *own* peanuts--or other kinds of nuts, since apparently from Sarah's post her allergy involves all nut products? <BR> <BR>And someone else raised the issue of perfume allergies and other types of chemical sensitivity, which I've heard can have reactions nearly as severe as those Sarah describes. What, realistically, can be done in a case like that? If the passenger notifies the airline in advance, does it then have the responsibility to call all the other passengers and ask them not to wear perfume? Or establish a shower station at the gate? <BR> <BR>I just don't see how one can realistically require an "allergen-free environment" when one travels in a closed space. Asking for alternative foods for *oneself* shouldn't be a problem, but when you start saying that no one else can have nuts (or perfume, or scented deodorant, or whatever) then it starts to become utterly impracticable IMO. <BR> <BR>Several people have asked about the possibility of people with nut allergies (or other allergies to airborne particles) wearing masks when they fly--sounds a bit silly, but then again, isn't it easier to try to keep the *individual* from breathing in the allergen than to purge an entire airplane of that allergen? (After all, if the allergy is so severe, even if AA takes the peanuts off a particular flight to accommodate Sarah but had them on the previous flight, isn't it likely some of the particles would still be in the air?)