Family Sues American Airlines Over Peanut-Free Flight

[Dion]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Thanks for the education, but I'm aware of the fact that allergies can potentially kill people.

I was asking about this kid in particular though. He didn't die, did he?

No. What you said was..."Would inhaling "peanut dust" actually kill this person?"

The fact that his parents took him on the flight and that he managed to struggle through the ordeal without incident tells me that this is a frivolous lawsuit and his parents are looking out first and foremost for the well-being of their chequing account.

Have to disagree. In this case the kid got very lucky and the situation could have been life threatening. Thankfully nothing happened.

[fatso]

Boblobla is on fire today.

You're like a vigilante dude... keep fighting the good fight!

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by fatso

Boblobla is on fire today.

You're like a vigilante dude... keep fighting the good fight!

I do my best keeping the off topic forum off topic.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

ROFLMAO. I was pointing out a grammatical error. I added a comment at the bottom of the post that indicated I knew it was an ignorant statement and you are still getting all bent out of shape. This is a ton of fun. Thanks.

I am so proud of you volunteering your time, how is the air on your high horse?

Your insult is duely noted and filed in the appropriare place.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Dion

No. What you said was..."Would inhaling "peanut dust" actually kill this person?"

Huh? Yeah, I asked if it would kill this person. The answer, apparently, is "no".

Originally Posted by Dion

Have to disagree. In this case the kid got very lucky and the situation could have been life threatening. Thankfully nothing happened.

Life threatening? If you say so. Has anyone ever actually died from inhaling peanut dust on an airplane? Is there one person in the history of the world?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Dion

Children who have to go to school and adults in the workplace with these allergies have to coexist with the rest of us. It's self centered thinking to say it's not your problem.

There is a difference between respecting others, and changing your life to suit them. Boblobla's earlier story is a good example of this. It is one thing for the school to say "don't eat PBJ sammiches at school because of allergies." School's property, their right to enforce such a rule and I'll respect it. It is quite another to be told "don't eat PBJ at home." My response to that is "go to hell." If you are so allergic that what I eat at home might harm you at school, then home study.

In so far as this case goes, AA's stated policies are that they don't sell peanuts, but that they will not guarantee that their planes are peanut free. So, frankly, this mother and her kid should have been SOL. Their planes, their rules. You decide if you want to take that risk, or drive.

Now, the problem in this case appears to be that people who did not understand the policies were making promises that ran against policy. I also believe it was mentioned earlier that AA offers nuts still, but not peanuts. I don't wonder if the mother saw nuts being handed out, and made an assumption here. Seems kind of odd that if the kid was as allergic as is claimed that nothing actually happened. Miracle, or assumption? Tough call without having been there.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Huh? Yeah, I asked if it would kill this person. The answer, apparently, is "no".

And i gave you an answer of why it could.

Life threatening? If you say so. Has anyone ever actually died from inhaling peanut dust on an airplane? Is there one person in the history of the world?

Yes i say so. People with peanut allergies don't normally fly on planes where peanuts are being served.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Has anyone ever actually died from inhaling peanut dust on an airplane? Is there one person in the history of the world?

That's not the issue. The issue is the airline stated multiple times that no peanuts would be served during the flight. The airline faultered on that promise, so the statement was false.

I'm not allergic to anything, but if I were allergic to say.. peanuts... and I purchased a bucket of ice cream that stated it was peanut free on the packaging, I expect it to be peanut-free. If it isn't and I suffer from a severe allergic reaction, damn straight I'd make a fuss about it. Actually even if I didn't eat it but realized there were peanuts in it after I purchased it, there's an issue. I did my due diligence in purchasing a product that is stated to be peanut-free. Is it still my problem if there are still peanuts in it, or is it the ice cream producer's problem?

The big question for this suit is whether or not they can prove that the airline did make this statement.

[ricosuave]

I just keep coming back to that great quote in Star Trek III

Spock: That is wise. Were I to invoke logic, however, logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

Kirk: Or the one

It's unfortunate that this kid, and others have such a condition, and I am unaware when the pussification of society actually started, but I'm sorry, the ones with these kinds of extreme special needs conditions should be the ones who accomodate to the rest of society, not the other way around.

And the parents were just as much to blame for the potential of injury because of said incident, as the airline was in promising something that they couldn't, or even shouldn't, reasonably do.

It's called evolution, its called survival of the fittest, its not called weaken the entire species because the bleeding hearts can't handle it.

[Kerplunk]

While I understand why this person would be ticked about the airline serving peanuts on the plan after asking about it so many times, I have to wonder what everyone’s definition of "served" is.

When I think about being served something on a plane, I get the image of a person walking the aisle and getting everyone something, like when they serve a meal or a beverage. They don't usually "serve" alcohol, but it is available for purchase. Some of the welcome messages on the plane make this distinction as well. If this is the policy for the airline, you could say that she was informed correctly; the airline didn't serve it to the coach passengers.

[peter12]

Holy smokes! Are some of you actually saying that the bags of peanuts are more important than even a slight risk to the life of a small boy?

Pussification of society?! I could do without my little bag of peanuts and not call it an extreme accommodation of someone with special needs.

[Gozer]

Originally Posted by ricosuave

I just keep coming back to that great quote in Star Trek III

Spock: That is wise. Were I to invoke logic, however, logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

Kirk: Or the one

You can't drop a Star Trek reference and get the movie wrong!

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

There is a difference between respecting others, and changing your life to suit them. Boblobla's earlier story is a good example of this. It is one thing for the school to say "don't eat PBJ sammiches at school because of allergies." School's property, their right to enforce such a rule and I'll respect it. It is quite another to be told "don't eat PBJ at home." My response to that is "go to hell." If you are so allergic that what I eat at home might harm you at school, then home study.

Fair enough then. Your answer explains things a lot better and in this case i would agree with you.

In so far as this case goes, AA's stated policies are that they don't sell peanuts, but that they will not guarantee that their planes are peanut free. So, frankly, this mother and her kid should have been SOL. Their planes, their rules. You decide if you want to take that risk, or driive.

Now, the problem in this case appears to be that people who did not understand the policies were making promises that ran against policy. I also believe it was mentioned earlier that AA offers nuts still, but not peanuts. I don't wonder if the mother saw nuts being handed out, and made an assumption here. Seems kind of odd that if the kid was as allergic as is claimed that nothing actually happened. Miracle, or assumption? Tough call without having been there.

For sure the parents must share some responsibility for thier ignorance and relying to much on what was repeated to them when the bought the ticket to the time they had to deal with the agent.

I also read where the parents said peanuts were served during the flight. To me it was pure luck the kid didn't have a reaction.

[metal_geek]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

Is she allergic to nuts or peanuts? Peanuts aren't a nut.

Try to find a nut that was packed in a factory that didn't also pack peanuts...

Peanuts = Nuts... is all the same to someone who's allergic.


I used to be the same as some of the posters, "why should I have to change", "bubble kids".. "Why can't johnny bring a pb sandwich to school", "make um eat in a different place"...

Then some average day your see you toddler blue in the face, terrified, suffocating, fall limp, because they ate some peanutbutter toast. You're attitude will quickly change. Seeing your child on the verge of death and being helpless to do anything about it is something you never wanna experience, or have anyone else experience.

If you don't have children I can understand someones lack of compassion. If you have children, hopefully you never have to see something like that, but stop for a second and think about some other parents who live with the very real chance of that on a daily basis..
________
Prilosec Lawsuit Settlements

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by Gozer

If you think the parents are lying, so be it. Doesn't sound like that's your argument though, just a nice path to backtrack on.

FAAN's purpose:
To be a world leader in food allergy and anaphylaxis awareness and the issues surrounding this disease.

The parents want their "no peanuts served" flight to not serve peanuts. That comment seems like needless vilification.

Parents are responsible for their kids, if i had a kid with this alergy and just a spec of peanut dust could cause harm, you would not see me on any planes with my child. Any place that a plane could take me is not more important than the health of my kid. Also the word of AA employees would not be good enough either. Reading AA policy clearly states they don't make guarantees. Is there parents did their due dilegence they would of recognized that...either way they went anyway...what would of happened if the employee(s) gave no gaurantees at the gate...would they have turned away?

And i was suggesting that just may be a ploy to get an airline to just stop serving peanuts all together, that chances are the "facts" presented in the article may not be the whole story...personally it doesn't matter to me - no peanuts on planes is no big loss at all.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Dion

Yes i say so. People with peanut allergies don't normally fly on planes where peanuts are being served.

Okay, well you didn't answer my other question.

Has anyone in the history of the world died from exposure to "peanut dust" on an airplane.

Hell, I'd like to know if anyone has ever actually even been hospitalized.

If the "dust" from such a common substance is "potentially fatal" then people would be having reactions all the time. Do they? Does it happen?

Can someone with such a severe peanut allergy even walk past the bulk food section at the grocery store?

[Dion]

Peanut Dust Allergies

Because it is nearly impossible for persons who have an allergy to peanut dust to avoid triggering a reaction if peanut dust is in the air, Southwest Airlines is unable to guarantee a peanut-free or allergen-free flight. We have procedures in place to assist our Customers with severe allergies to peanut dust and will make every attempt not to serve packaged peanuts on the aircraft when our Customers alert us to their allergy to peanut dust. We ask that Customers with allergies to peanut dust advise our Reservations Sales Agents of the allergy at the time the reservation is made. If the reservation is made on southwest.com, there is a field to indicate a peanut allergy on the Payment and Passenger Information page during the booking process. If the reservation is made via travel agent, the Customer should telephone 1-800-I-FLY-SWA afterward to speak with a Reservation Sales Agent.

We suggest that Customers with an allergy to peanut dust book their travel on early morning flights, as our aircraft undergo a thorough cleaning only at the end of the day. Customers with allergies to peanut dust must check in at the departure gate one hour prior to departure and notify our Customer Service Agent at the gate of the allergy. (Please allow enough time to park, check luggage and/or receive your boarding pass, and to pass through security checkpoint.)

Upon advising our Customer Service Agent at each departure gate (including connecting flights), the Customer Service Agent will complete a Peanut Dust Allergy form and ask the Customer to present the form to our Flight Attendant upon boarding. This form notifies our Employees that a Customer with allergies to peanut dust will be traveling on the flight, and our Flight Attendants will make every effort to serve an alternate snack. As some of our other snack items may contain peanut particles, peanut oil, or have been packaged in a peanut facility, Customers who have allergic reactions to eating/ingesting peanuts should read the ingredients on any packaged snack before consumption. Of course, all Customers are welcome to bring their own snacks with them.

Although following the above procedures will ensure peanuts are not served on a flight, Southwest cannot prevent other Customers from bringing peanuts or products containing peanuts onboard our flights. In addition, Southwest cannot give assurances that remnants of peanuts and/or peanut dust/oil will not remain on the aircraft floor, seats, or tray tables from flights earlier in the aircraft’s routing.

Southwest Airlines cannot guarantee that a flight will be free of other allergens such as perfumes, lotions, cleaning solutions, etc.

http://www.southwest.com/travel_cent...ty.html#peanut

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by metal_geek

Try to find a nut that was packed in a factory that didn't also pack peanuts...

Peanuts = Nuts... is all the same to someone who's allergic.

If you're just allergic to nuts, it doesn't matter if they are packed in a factory that packs peanuts.

Peanuts != Nuts.

[J pold]

^^seems reasonable to me

[Gozer]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

If the "dust" from such a common substance is "potentially fatal" then people would be having reactions all the time. Do they? Does it happen?

I had a classmate in school that would vomit from smelling peanuts in the same hallway. He didn't die, but I doubt he has the worst allergy in the world.