Airlines
Flying with a Food Allergy
Individuals with food allergy often worry about reactions occurring on board commercial flights. A published study showed that severe, or anaphylactic, reactions caused by peanuts occurred on flights from ingestion of peanut-containing meals or snacks. Other reactions from exposure via skin contact or inhalation were generally less severe. These noningestion reactions generally occurred when at least 25 other passengers were served individual packages or bags of peanuts, not from products that had little peanut content.
However, many individuals with food allergies fly safely every day without incident.
The most important strategy for avoiding reactions while flying is: DO NOT EAT AIRLINE MEALS OR SNACKS! Instead, bring your own safe food to eat during the flight.
Which airlines do not serve individual packages or bags of peanuts?
Based on correspondence with airline representatives, FAAN has concluded that the following airlines do not serve individual packages or bags of peanuts:
Domestic: Air Tran, American, Jet Blue, Northwest, United, US Airways, USA 3000
International: Aer Lingus, Air France*, British Airways, El Al, JAL, KLM, Lufthansa, SAS*, Singapore Airlines*
*
Based on oral discussions between FAAN and airline representatives. If you are planning to travel on Air France, SAS, or Singapore Airlines, we recommend that you confirm the policy over the phone with an airline representative.
Many airlines, including those listed above, serve on a regular or occasional basis…
- Food or snack items that contain peanuts(for example, a candy bar, trail mix, or other menu item that contains peanuts) and/or
- Prepackaged food or snack items that include an allergen advisory warning on the ingredient label
(for example, “Processed in a facility that also processes peanuts”).
As long as a passenger with peanut allergy does not eat these products or come into very close contact with them, the risk of reaction from skin contact or inhalation will be minimized.
Again, the most important strategy for avoiding reactions while flying is: DO NOT EAT AIRLINE MEALS OR SNACKS!
What about tree nuts?
According to correspondence with airline representatives, AirTran does not serve tree nuts; instead, the airline serves pretzel snacks to each passenger. All other airlines, however, commonly offer items containing tree nuts.
Other Accommodations for Passengers With Food Allergy
Some airlines will:
- serve a nonpeanut snack upon advance request (example: Southwest);
- provide a “buffer zone” around the passenger with food allergy by not serving allergenic items in the passenger’s row of seats and in nearby rows (example: Delta); and/or
- make an announcement asking all passengers to voluntarily refrain from eating peanut products (example: Northwest).
No matter what type of accommodation the airline offers you, it is crucial to confirm and reconfirm the accommodation before flying.
No airline will ever guarantee an allergen-free flight, and no airline can control what food other passengers bring on board the aircraft.
We Want to Hear From You!
If you have recently flown on an airline and had a different experience than described here, please let us know by sending an email.
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