AIBU to think a ban should be in place for nuts on planes?

[4691IrradiatedHaggis]

As an airborne allergy sufferer myself, it's been kind of worrying over the last few days to see an insistent few insist they don''t exist.
I suffer from one. They really do. I've seen them. Suffered first hand.
If you don't suffer from one, or know someone who has, count yourself lucky.
I have eyes swell up. Doesn't take a leap of imagination to think that throats could too if suffering a more severe reaction.
Difference with me is that I'm not hundreds of miles up in the sky away from medical access. Being in an airport/public place not comparable to being locked in an aeroplane, thousands of miles from land.

It is rather baffling as to why they were so desperate to shut down the discussion, I agree.

Nuts aren't the only potentially life threatening allergy though. I know someone whose child had a near fatal reaction to eggs. One a recent early am flight the only options for breakfast were omelette with sausages or plain omelette. I said to dh 'what if you had an egg allergy?' He replied 'there's no such thing!'

I said to dh 'what if you had an egg allergy?' He replied 'there's no such thing!

I wish there was no such thing! Looks like I'd have been going hungry on that plane then.

Problem is with people taking their own food onto planes. Who knows what is in it?

A nice salad might have a groundnut (peanut) or sesame oil dressing that could also trigger a reaction.

Go back to supplying meals and the airline can ensure no nuts.

I've never heard of anyone having a potentially life threatening reaction to airborne egg particles.

Maybe if someone was throwing pancake mix around. I think that's the difference, the fact that someone even opening a bag of nuts on a plane could potentially kill another passenger makes it a 'no brainer' for me.

I don't agree. But only because I think it would have adverse consequences as people would become too relaxed about it. I'd much rather see it specifically announced on any flight when someone allergic is flying along with numerous signs etc.

You only have to look at the number of people throwing liquids etc away before going through security to see just how many people forget/don't know what they can take on board. Those same people could easily forget not to take nuts on board, and afaik there is no easy way to find them at security. So the allergy sufferer would be in more danger because there is the assumption nobody has them.

However stopping the sale of nuts in airports and on board doesn't have any negatives.

I have a nut allergy and would absolutely support a ban on nuts on airlines. Something else to consider, though, is what we classify as a nut.

I flew KLM a few years ago and it was a long haul flight. I booked a nut free meal, which turned out to be covered in almonds. The breakfast pancake was also covered in almonds. I flagged this with the flight attendant as almonds and peanuts are my worst allergens, but she told me that almonds weren't nuts so my nut free meal should be fine.

I reiterated that I was allergic to almonds, and she said I should have mentioned that when booking!

So yes, absolutely, let's ban nuts, but let's also remember how to define what needs banning!

I've lost track of the number of posters who've said "I've never heard of x" with the implication being it doesn't exist.

I'm fed up with allergy sufferers actual experiences being dismissed by people who don't have to live with it day in day out.

I'm very saddened by the number of selfish posters who would put their faddy diet or liking nuts with their g&t before the comforts, safety and even lives of allergy sufferers.

Shame on you all.

I knew someone who was allergic to red and green fruit and veg AND alcohol...

People SHOULD have more sympathy for allergy sufferers but sadly they don't. It is a nightmare eating out or getting snacks etc Anyone who doesn't suffer is very lucky they don't have to think twice about what they eat or don't have to check ingredients all the time. I also don't think restaurants take it seriously, they seem to think one is being a fussy customer and that one simply doesn't like the food. Plenty of times they have reassured me no nuts, no peanut oil etc then...nuts on a roast, nutmeg in the carbonara, satay sauce on chips - gave me big lips lol

Saying you would still eat a bag of nuts next to an allergy sufferer is the same as smoking next to a baby - what kind of person does that!

Oooh i knew someone allergic to alcohol FUN

I was devastated on their behalf

Fun my mum nearly died once when a restaurant thought 'does this dish contain nuts?' didn't cover the peanut oil it was cooked in.

^THIS! Exactly, even restaurants that claim to be aware of allergies often are very flippant about it and thus the above results.

Am trying to see it from the other side....maybe if you haven't been around severe allergies or seen reactions first hand, then you honestly do not understand or 'get' what the fuss is all about. Maybe the 'ignorance' and 'lack of sympathy' displayed in the other thread is just that those people haven't been exposed to allergies close up nor have any experience of the day to day. So, they would have no reason to research the reactions people can have to food or try to understand if it is not something that affects anyone close to them or their own life.
I am starting to think that these people really do not understand how serious anaphylaxis can be or even how a small reaction can be uncomfortable for the sufferer ie. swollen lips/ feeling sick for hours after, whatever the allergy nuts, eggs, alcohol etc

Sure more people have allergies nowadays and we know about them but true understanding and real awareness is lacking by the bucket load. It is unbelievable and very sad to think people will still open a packet of nuts on a flight despite being told that someone could get ill from it.

fun I'm not excusing it but I think some of that attitude is because of the attention seekers who don't have allergies. Every school residential dd has been on the parents of children with allergies presumably make arrangements with staff. Whereas the pfb parents of the child who has a dubious and unlikely intolerance will hog the teacher for ages whilst they bleat about their precious snowflake being supposedly gluten intolerant and needing chocolate spread on normal toast for breakfast instead of cereal. Same in restaurants etc. Obviously the attention seeking idiots are the minority, but like anything they are always the most visible and the genuine suffer for it.

Is it possible to ban the sale of nuts in the airport, but allowing you to buy them on the plane as long as there aren't any allergy sufferers?

I was on a plane once and one of the cabin crew made the announcement that nuts would not be sold on this flight as there was a but all why sufferer on board.

Sorry if this has already been mentioned

I can't believe some people can't go without nuts for a few hours It must be so difficult for them the poor little snowflakes.

I have no problem with no nuts on flights where there is a nut-allergic passenger but we have to be realistic. Passengers who have eaten nuts recently - such as at the airport or on another flight - may have residue on their clothes or their fingers or on their breath and you cannot exclude them from the flight. Does anyone see a solution?

FUNM I'm allergic to alcohol. Apparently it's amusing to try and spike my coke. I'm definitely in favour of a banning nuts on planes!

may have residue on their clothes or their fingers or on their breath and you cannot exclude them from the flight. Does anyone see a solution?

As you know from the other thread, it isn't about eliminating risk altogether. As you know was said over there, that would be impossible and someone having peanut butter on toast the morning before boarding the plane just isn't the same as it's a hypothetical risk.
Hundreds of bags being opened in the same room as you all at the same time would be an actual, real and immediate danger that could so easily be avoided.

I don't agree. But only because I think it would have adverse consequences as people would become too relaxed about it.

I can reassure you that people with serious allergies never become relaxed about it.

be where did I say the sufferer would become relaxed?

Perfectly caring Jane Smith who had to throw her shampoo at security is likely to also forget the nuts ban, and unthinkingly eat them on the plane. And she might be horrified when reminded halfway through, and immediately put them away apologising, but that won't reduce the reaction of a sufferer. By comparison if Jane is told there is a sufferer on board, she would remember not to eat them.

I'm not excusing it but I think some of that attitude is because of the attention seekers who don't have allergies

Hmm, you've an "interesting" viewpoint. So because some people apparently say they have proper allergies but actually don't, that means that a default "allergies don't exist or aren't anything serious" attitude is taken by some?
Would we apply that way of thinking to people who pretend they have a bad back to getting out of work or something to those who really do have a bad back?
As in people make up bad backs so therefore no-one will take the real cases seriously?
No, we don't. Wonder why.....

And she might be horrified when reminded halfway through, and immediately put them away apologising, but that won't reduce the reaction of a sufferer. By comparison if Jane is told there is a sufferer on board, she would remember not to eat them.

Don't you see though that one hypothetical Jane maybe forgetting and taking them on board is not the same as a hundred or so actual people on a plane being served nuts all at the same time?
As how been said so many times, it's not about eradicating risk altogether. Just eliminating one, very real risk.

I've never understood why nuts are at all necessary on planes - mini pretzels or something (like BA used to give out but stopped) are just as salty and tasty so why do we need nuts at all on the plane?!

Would anyone really be that upset if they just replaced them?

4691 why do you think this country is rife with stupid stereotypes about single parents, disability claimants, the unemployed, dog owners, cyclists, immigrants, and any other group you can mention? It is because a tiny minority of twats give a false impression of reality for the genuine majority. And yes society does unfortunately apply that logic to bad backs too.

I didn't say I agreed, any more than I agree with any other daft stereotype. Hence why I said I wasn't excusing it which you clearly ignored in your desire to assume I wish to dismiss allergy sufferers.

4961 did you actually even read my initial post where I agreed they shouldn't be sold on the plane or in the airport?

Because it strikes me you are just looking for an argument.