My wife is allergic to peanuts, but not extremely so. We ask for non-peanut snacks for our family of four. If someone next to my wife were to open a peanut butter sandwich, we would ask them to wait while we switched seats and I would sit next to that passenger. We feel that it is our responsibility to manage our allergies and to act accordingly. If you are so allergic then you need to find airlines with an acceptable peanut policy.

For example, Southwest has a policy that if you have a self-declared allergy to peanuts and you arrive at least an hour before flight time, they will have a peanut-free flight. The gate staff will ensure that when refreshments are restocked, they are restocked without peanuts. You will need to fill out a form. They will give you a pass that will allow you to preboard in the first group. You will have a second pass that you give to the flight crew who will ensure that peanuts are not distributed on the flight (in case any remain from the previous leg of the flight). The preboarding is granted so that you can wipe down your seat, the arms, tray table, etc to ensure that you remove any peanut residue possibly left by prior flyers. The flight team can also note if any patrons bring their own peanut products on-board and ask them to put the snacks away. Fortunately, my wife's allergy is not serious enough to warrant using this policy, but it is available.

But as I said, I feel it is up to the peanut allergic person or guardian to take appropriate precautions warranted by their disability (since even peanut allergies can vary signfiicantly in their intensity).

Please don't. As the mom of a peanut allergic child it's just another thing to panic about when flying with children (which in and of itself is super stressful).

I would just buy sunflower seed butter. Look, I know it's not my responsibility, but if I found out another kid was seriously sick or DIED due to my need to have pb, I would feel awful.

--a mom with 2 kids, no food allergies.

Anonymous wrote:I would. If someone requests that we not eat it, of course I would oblige. But I am tired of pre-emptively worrying about other people's allergies. It's getting kind of out of hand. (There was a long thread recently on not bringing PBJ to a playground, which again, I find to be overkill unless we are lunching with or near someone with allergies.)

+100. Most sensible post on this thread.

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't do it.

It's not necessary, and the risks outweigh the benefits by so much. Treat yourself to something peanut free.

On that note, I was just at the allergist's office this morning and I swear to god there was a woman in the waiting area eating what looked like a PBJ. I'm not allergic and my kid isn't either, but I was FLOORED. Why would you even bring something that looks like PBJ to an allergist's office?

Maybe it was sunbutter. Weird to get worked up when you had no idea what it was.

I would. If someone requests that we not eat it, of course I would oblige. But I am tired of pre-emptively worrying about other people's allergies. It's getting kind of out of hand. (There was a long thread recently on not bringing PBJ to a playground, which again, I find to be overkill unless we are lunching with or near someone with allergies.)

I would not. There are so many other options and you may be asked to not eat it anyway.

I wouldn't do it.

It's not necessary, and the risks outweigh the benefits by so much. Treat yourself to something peanut free.

On that note, I was just at the allergist's office this morning and I swear to god there was a woman in the waiting area eating what looked like a PBJ. I'm not allergic and my kid isn't either, but I was FLOORED. Why would you even bring something that looks like PBJ to an allergist's office?

Last time I had peanut butter on a flight the woman next to me very nicely Said that her son (who was in the row in front of us with his dad) was allergic to peanut butter and would it be possible for her to buy me one of those snack packages from the Airline. I was more than happy to oblige.

Well, there is nothing we can do about it. I have a kid with very severe peanut allergies, and we can deal with it or not fly.

It's certainly legal to take your sandwich on the plane and I'd never say anything to you. It's really our problem and not yours, I understand that. It would be really nice if you are careful not to get any on the seats. My son has had reactions before from PB residue on seats so this isn't some histrionic paranoia. I try to wipe them down but it's hard to see it.

doesn't southwest still give out peanuts?

They will announce if someone on board has a peanut alllergy

On a Virgin America flight, they were selling a PBJ sandwich (for $4 I might add). I would not hesitate. However, there is a slight risk of them asking the passengers not to eat any nuts as there is a nut-allergic person on board.

Less risk of kids sharing the food of random people on planes than that they'll share the food with a friend.

Since schools are so strict about peanut allergies, I'm wondering if it's okay to bring a peanut butter sandwich on the airplane. I've done it in the past but it just seems odd no one seems to care on airplanes.