Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Peanuts on planes

I have been following a heated debate that is raging in the US and Canada over whether peanuts should be banned from airlines.

Obviously it would make life easier for those with peanut allergy to travel, but peanut farmers (of which there are large numbers) are concerned this could cause them a huge financial dent.

Interestingly, world-leading allergy specialist Dr Scott Sicherer, who studies food allergies at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York,
says that a few limited studies on airline passengers with peanut allergies found a number of people reporting symptoms while flying, but few were severe or life-threatening.

"But there's discomfort. It's sort of like if you were allergic to dogs and all of a sudden they brought 50 dogs onto the plane," he told the Associated Press.

And there's the fact you are 30,000 feet in the air, and in an enclosed space.

A number of airlines in the US no longer serve nuts.

You can read a the article here:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g2S0w5Glr5B56Ybd7RnBN99ZgGQAD9G99EAO0

What are your thoughts on the issue? Do you think there should be a ban? Or do you travel on airlines that don't serve nuts?
Have you (or a member of your family) ever had a reaction on an airline?

I'd love to hear your views.

Inga Stünzner
Information and Communication