Teen Almost Thrown Off Flight Over His Allergy
Larger Implications
When the plane was finally aloft – about 15 to 20 minutes late, both Neary and her son say the pilot came on to announce that he was sorry for the delay, but there was a “medical emergency” he had to deal with on the ground.
While Air Canada would not comment on any details, Fitzpatrick did confirm that “the pilot is in charge of the aircraft and the safety, the health, and the comfort of all the passengers are ultimately his responsibility.”
Anaphylaxis Canada expressed concern about what took place on that flight. “This unfortunate incident raises concerns about the need for clear and consistent airline policies for people with severe allergies,” said spokesperson Beatrice Povolo.
At home in St. John’s, Neary sees bigger issues from the experience for those traveling with medical conditions. “What if it wasn’t a peanut allergy? What if it was somebody with a pacemaker. Are you going to say, ‘I’m afraid for you to fly because you might have a heart attack in the middle of the flight?’”
She also has concerns that this experience may make her son less likely to speak up about his allergy: “He’s 17, he’s going to be traveling his whole life.”
For those with allergies, the issue always arises in difficult in-flight situations: Is there a ‘right’ to travel?” Neary is unequivocal that there has to be. “I think everybody has a right to travel. I mean, we live on an island, how else are we getting off it?”
See also these Gwen Smith posts:
Air Canada’s Chilly Response to the CTA Ruling
What Teachers and Parents Should Know About Allergies: article for the CBC
Not just a Peanut Mom
This article reminds us that it is time for more education! We need another Airlines Forum, to educate the workers in the Airline industry about the risks of Ananphylaxis and what they can do to help. Our last discussions with the flight crew reps was more than 10 years ago, and obviously the crews flying now don’t have the same awareness.
I had an incident similar to this while travelling in New Zealand and we must create a consensus that all airlines and airline workers can refer to, so they can be confident that they take no more risk with an anaphylactic individual on board than they do with having someone aboard with any other type of stable medical condition.
spnx
This is the reason I will no longer fly with Air Canada.
When I mentioned to the Chief Steward on an Air Canada flight that I was allergic to peanuts, the conversation went like this:
“I’m not going to tell people not to eat peanuts, it’s their right”
When I mentioned that Air Canada no longer serves them, so they would actually be snacks the passengers have brought themselves, he repeated that their right to eat them took priority over my life-threatening allergy.
He said “it doesn’t matter, I know CPR”.
I told him CPR would be ineffective with a blocked airway, and he said “I know that, my brother is a doctor”. Then he asked if I wanted his badge number “so I could report him”.
I didn’t take it, I was somewhat stunned by this reaction.
From now on, I take Westjet, who cheerfully and politely let the passengers around me. No passenger has had a problem with this, once they hear the reason.
I have not flown Air Canada since.
Totallynuts
In February my children and I were thrown off our flight from Mexico because of my peanut allergy. We were flying Mexicana.
The entire event was terrible. The staff treated me like a criminal that was not welcome. It wouldn’t have been so bad if I were alone, but I was flying with my 3 year old daughter and my 8 year old son.
The worst part about this experience was when I went to the TV station in my city and attempted to tell the story of how poorly I was treated. They made the story out to be completely different. They told the story of a woman that is “so angry” at the world because she wants everyone to feel sorry for her! I had people tracking down my personal email and sending me hate mail wishing that I would “choke on a peanut and die.” Now whenever you google my name it brings up about 10 sites that have hundreds of people bashing me. I tried to stand up for people with allergies and all I got was the fear that someone would actually find out where I live and hurt me and my family.
My allergist once told me that I was the most allergic person to peanuts that he has seen in his 35 year career. I am one of those people who actually have a hard time breathing in a plane filled with people opening bags of peanuts. And I will welcome any doctor who wants to test that theory on me.
One day, someone will die on a plane due to anaphylatic shock and maybe only then will the tragic death of a person finally change the ignorance of the airline industry.
It makes me sad that people’s “right” to eat peanuts outweighs another persons “right” to feel safe and stay alive.
floppymeister
I am the mother of a child with a life threatening peanut allergy. We are taking a family vacation this December. She has never been on a plane before. I’ve been concerned about peanuts/nuts on the plane. What will an epipen do on a plane???? It won’t do anything.
I have a real problem with an airline and people with bad attitudes towards this allergy. What is the big deal? The big deal is that people could die. I ask, what’s so imporant about eating a small bag of nuts on an airplane? Surely not eating peanuts won’t ruin your flight experience. Grow up people. The allergy is serious and it’s about time everyone starts taking it seriously. The schools don’t allow peanuts or nuts of any kind. This is just basic common sense. Shame on Air Canada and everyone with a hateful attitude. Eating peanuts on a plane (an inclosed space with no fresh air) versus a person possibly dying….hmmm choice should be easy.
ksharma
I have had horrible experiences with Air Canada and will never fly them again if possible. West Jet is great, they don’t serve any nuts, are friendly and have always made an announcement even when I haven’t requested it. It’s not going to get better than that, no one can guarantee anything but they do the best possible job, smiling all the while.
cookster
This summer we travelled to Ireland. Air Canada would not agree to make an announcement on the plane which concerned us as we were travelling with our 11 year old child who was allergic to peanuts. We travelled Air Transat and they were amazing. They made a full plane announcement, and were very accommodating about helping us heat up the food we had brought for him. It was a great experience! I will certainly fly Airt Transat again!
allergymomof2
I’ve had the same experience – we fly Westjet all the time due to the disrespect, miscommunication and inconsistencies we’ve experienced on Air Canada. We’ve flown Zoom before it disbanded and British Airways and Air France, all with willing staff who go above and beyond to do everything possible to make things safe for my son. Of course I don’t expect them to wrestle peanuts out of the hands of passengers, but the vast majority of travellers will comply with a simple request to avoid eating them if they are provided with information in the terminal about the issue.