news Eurowings passenger with severe nut allergy buys buying every pack of peanuts

[mercurialworld]

...to stop people from opening them 

 

Quote

An airline passenger with a severe nut allergy bought 48 packs of peanuts on her flight to prevent anyone from opening them.

 

Leah Williams, 27, was on a Eurowings flight from Düsseldorf, Germany, to London's Heathrow Airport on July 13. She is prone to anaphylactic shock and experienced the reaction on a previous flight, where she broke out in hives when someone on the plane opened a pack of peanuts near her.

 

 

Williams had flown from London to Düsseldorf on a work trip earlier that day on the airline. She said the cabin crew on that flight were happy to make an announcement about her allergy and refrained from serving nuts during the flight.

 

But when she boarded the flight return to London, Williams said the cabin crew refused her request to make an announcement. She said a flight attendant told her that it was against the airline's policy.

 

"He wasn't even looking me in the eye. I think he was getting frustrated I was holding up the line," Williams said.

 

The cabin-crew member also appeared not to understand Williams's allergy—she said he asked if she needed an inhaler in case she had a reaction.

 

Williams discovered the airline would be selling peanuts on the flight and felt the only solution was to buy every pack available. "I said: 'I'll buy them all so you can't serve them. I don't care how much it is. If you're not willing to help me this is the only thing I can do,'" she told Insider.

 

https://www.insider.com/passenger-nut-allergy-bought-all-48-packs-peanuts-flight-2023-8?amp

 

What do you think about this story? Do you think the airline should have done more to accommodate Williams's nut allergy, or was her solution of buying all the peanuts the only solution?

Edited August 7, 2023 by mercurialworld

[Illuminati]

Nut allergy is a pretty big deal imo  In places like an airplane, that you can't just exit midway through, I think they should be more considerate of stuff that could contaminate the air.

 

Who would be responsible if she had a severe allergic reaction after begging them not to serve nuts to passengers?

[Smarticle]

Well it's either that or the cost of an epipen and not being able to get medical attention midflight

[elevate]

I love peanuts but do people really need them this desperately in the air?? Given the list of things banned on a flight, a few more nut based ones would not hurt, and most people would either get over it or not care.

[VOSS]

Just ask the people directly next to you not to eat peanuts in case they accidentally get some on you. No one’s allergy is so severe they have a reaction from it through the air.

[midnightdawn]

Wear a mask?

[byzantium]

Honestly, considering how severe nut allergies can be, why would the airline sell them in the first place.  I personally try to avoid eating peanuts in enclosed and public areas (theaters, cafeterias, trains etc) and I think it is a very easy and considerate thing to do. 

[taylamour]

16 minutes ago, VOSS said:

Just ask the people directly next to you not to eat peanuts in case they accidentally get some on you. No one’s allergy is so severe they have a reaction from it through the air.

Yes, nut allergies can be (commonly) severe enough that people can react from the air. 

[Starshine]

A queen tbh.

[Element]

Hopefully the airline can reimburse her for this... idk why that's the default snack for a plane ride tbh.

[Rihbeyga]

1 hour ago, Smarticle said:

Well it's either that or the cost of an epipen and not being able to get medical attention midflight

She’s in Europe no? An epicentre is almost free in most countries. 

[AshleeSimpsonFan]

It's easier to bring an Epipen

[GentleEarthquake]

Well she did what she had to do

[Kern]

That must have been very expensive. She shouldn’t have to do that to save her life  peanut allergy is not a joke 

[ThehushSound]

There was another girl a few years back who went into anaphylactic shock when someone a few rows away and they had to administer oxygen and an epipen. 
 

Allergies can be very serious and it’s pretty easy to go with out nuts when in enclosed public places especially where medical care is not easily accessible.

[Miss Show Business]

How are airlines not prepared for this in 2023? All it would take is serving an alternative like chips instead? Nut allergies are common, it's pretty irresponsible to not have policy in place to accommodate passengers with food allergies.