Peanuts and tree nuts are major allergens. In the U.S. alone, around 6.2 million and 3.9 million people are allergic to peanuts and tree nuts, respectively.
Despite that, most airlines can’t guarantee a peanut-free or allergen-free flight for affected passengers.
According to one California woman with both a peanut and tree nut allergy, she informed the airline several times before boarding. Yet, once her flight took off, they did something she didn’t expect.
In a clip that has over 226,200 views, TikTok creator Mary Johnson (@_maryjohns) sits on a plane with her nose covered with her t-shirt.
“Me after telling the airline I have a nut allergy & watching them hand out cashews,” she wrote in the video’s text overlay.
She added in the caption, “the smell was making me physically sick.”
Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In the U.S., a severe food allergy can qualify as a disability under the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) if it substantially limits a major life activity, such as breathing.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) says that under the ACAA, airlines cannot discriminate against passengers on that basis and have to provide disability accommodations.
However, there is no federal rule requiring airlines to stop serving peanuts or tree nuts on a flight or guarantee an allergen-free cabin. Some airlines offer more accommodations for passengers with nut allergies than others.
Delta Air Lines is considered a standout among airlines that protect passengers with nut allergies. If a passenger reports a peanut allergy, Delta says it will stop serving peanuts and peanut products on that flight and offer non-peanut snacks instead.
It also allows the affected passenger to preboard, clean their seating area, and helps with seat changes if needed.
JetBlue is another airline popular among passengers with nut allergies. The airline says its complimentary snacks are nut-free, but other onboard food may contain nuts, and it cannot guarantee its aircraft or food will be completely free of allergens or cross-contamination.
JetBlue advises passengers with severe allergies to let crew members know, so the airline can try to accommodate them, such as by creating a buffer zone.
“You have to take care of yourself, you can’t expect everyone to adapt to you,” one user wrote. “Mask, wipe down your seat/tray table, epic pen with you, etc.”
“So because you have a nut allergy they can’t eat,” another said.
“No problem here. If I want cashews at 40,000 feet why can’t I? I don’t have to change my habits for you!” a third wrote.
Others were appalled by the general lack of sympathy.
“I will never understand people so up in arms about helping to not hurt someone,” one said. “If I am on a flight and they announce someone has an allergy, I gladly just don’t eat peanuts or nuts in any form for a couple hours. You all act like you will just not make it if you can’t eat your peanut M&Ms for 1 hr.”
Johnson responded to the criticism in a follow-up, explaining she had taken proper precautions.
“I did book this flight pretty last minute, actually,” she says. “I had to go home for a funeral, and I booked a different airline than I typically do.”
She says she reported her allergies when making the reservation.
“I did flag on the reservation when I made it that I do have a peanut and tree nut allergy, because I am actually allergic to both,” she says.
Johnson also says she informed the gate agent when she arrived at the airport.
“Super kind,” she notes. “They let me preboard, wipe everything down.”
What she wasn’t expecting was what happened after boarding.
“I was just not expecting them to start handing out cashews,” she says.
Johnson says she understands where some commenters were coming from. She usually travels with a mask but didn’t have one due to the last-minute nature of the trip.
She did, however, come prepared with medication.
“I also had on me three different EpiPens and two different kinds of Benadryl,” she says. “I will never get on a plane without that.”
@_maryjohns the smell was making me physically sick #nutallergy #airplanemode #airplanetiktok ♬ оригинальный звук – danchmerk
