Airlines
Continental Airlines to Phase Out Packaged Peanut Snacks
FAAN is pleased to announce that Continental Airlines, one of the largest domestic carriers in the U.S., will stop serving packaged peanuts on board their flights. Once their current contracted supply of packaged peanuts is distributed, Continental will begin offering options such as pretzels, or other selections not containing peanuts, as their complimentary packaged snack.
Although there is no specific timetable, passengers can expect the phaseout to be completed by the end of 2008. Until the phase out is complete, however, Continental will continue to serve packaged peanuts.
While Continental (along with all airlines) will not guarantee a “peanut-free” flight and will not prohibit other passengers from bringing peanuts on board the aircraft, Continental’s new policy shows that the airline takes peanut allergy very seriously, and we applaud their new direction.
Continental will soon join other major carriers that have stopped serving packaged peanuts, such as United, American, US Airways, and Northwest. As you may know, a risk to passengers with peanut allergies involves multiple passengers simultaneously opening up packaged peanuts in close proximity. Eliminating packaged peanuts greatly reduces the risk of an allergic reaction.
Flying with a Food Allergy
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?
Many airlines post a written peanut allergy policy on their website. Based on this, along with correspondence with airline representatives, FAAN has concluded that the following domestic airlines do not serve individual packages or bags of peanuts in coach* :
Air Canada, Air Tran, American, Frontier, Jet Blue, Northwest, United, US Airways, USA 3000
* Please note! The above list only applies to the serving of packaged peanuts (i.e., PEANUTS ARE THE ONLY INGREDIENT) in coach. Some airlines, such as American, may serve peanuts/nuts in first class or business class, and some airlines, such as Frontier, sell snack items (i.e., trail mix, candy bar) in coach that contain peanuts as an ingredient and/or snack items that include a "may contain" advisory warning on the label.
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 may:
- 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 (on board the plane and/or at the gate area before boarding) asking all passengers to voluntarily refrain from eating peanut products (example: Northwest, JetBlue).
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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