Staying Safe While Flying

Individuals with food allergies fly safely every day without incident.

The following are recommended strategies for staying safe while flying:

  • DO NOT EAT AIRLINE MEALS OR SNACKS! Instead, bring your own safe food to eat during the flight, and pack extra snacks in case you encounter delays.
  • Wipe down the seat to help prevent contact reactions in individuals with sensitive skin or inadvertent skin contact with peanut dust that has settled, and can then be accidentally ingested.
  • Keep medications handy. If a reaction should occur, you need immediate access to it, and the overhead bin may be inaccessible.

Some airlines may make the following accommodations:

  • Serve a non-peanut snack if requested in advance
  • Provide a “peanut buffer zone” around the passenger with food allergy by not serving peanuts in the passenger’s row of seats and in nearby rows 
  • Allow you to pre-board the plane in order to inspect/clean your seating area
  • 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

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.

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