Posted on 09/03/2014 10:02:25 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
The parent of a child with a life-threatening peanut allergy is fighting for new rules to protect airline passengers who have severe food allergies.
Lianne Mandelbaum, who says she was practically kicked off a United Airlines flight last year because of her son’s condition, has been lobbying for new protections for allergy sufferers.
Now, more than 14,000 people are coming to her aid, petitioning lawmakers and federal regulators to establish a "buffer zone" around passengers who are allergic to certain foods.
“I am not after a nut ban,” Mandelbaum said. “Just the ability to preboard, wipe down the seat area and make an announcement that will let everyone live with their own moral compass around me.”
The petitioners are calling for a rule that would prohibit airlines from serving snacks containing nuts to any passenger sitting near someone with a peanut allergy. Furthermore, passengers who bring peanuts on board would not be allowed to eat them during the flight, if they are sitting within the buffer zone.
The buffer zone would extend to passengers sitting in the three rows in front of or behind someone with a severe peanut allergy.
The rules would also prevent airlines from removing passengers who have peanut allergies.
When Mandelbaum reported her son's allergy to United Airlines, she recalls being told: "Well, if you think he's going to die, don't get on the plane."
"Children and adults with food allergies should be able to report their allergy without fear of being kicked off a flight," Mandelbaum said. "As it stands, they have no such rights and cases have been reported of people being taken off a flight for reporting a food allergy."
Currently, there are no federal rules protecting airlines passengers who have peanut allergies, Mandelbaum says — something she is hoping to change.
Mandelbaum successfully convinced the New Jersey Senate to protect airline passengers with peanut allergies in 2013.
But she is pushing for federal rules that would expand the protections for passengers around the country.
Mandelbaum is also meeting with officials at top airlines, asking them to establish company policies protecting passengers with peanut allergies. She noted that "different flight crews on the same airline will react differently to a food allergy request" without set policies.
She has had some success in her efforts.
WestJet has stopped serving peanuts on board, while Jet Blue Airways will create a buffer zone for allergic passengers upon request, Mandelbaum said.
However, United Airlines has shown "no signs" of changing its policy, following the incident where she was asked to take her son off the flight, Mandelbaum said.
Delta Airlines has not responded to her request, she added.
The petition is being hosted by Care2, an activist website that hosts petitions from public interest, environmental and health groups.
Actually, you are the one who is wrong.
Smoking has only proven to impact the health of SOME smokers and not to otherwise healthy people who may get a whiff of a smoker's smoke.
Don't forget the fighter escort.
How about LIB free zone?
I'm not saying there aren't people who are allergic to peanuts, people can be allergic to anything, but I do not believe there are as many as parents make it out to be. These days, their precious little treasures are allergic to more things than what they're not. I'd like to see the stats on these allergies in countries where there are no helicopter parents and kids are still allowed to play outside in the fresh air.
Could be all the chemicals in and on our foods. Hormones, insecticides, GMO, etc. The foods we eat today are not the same as the foods we ate in the 1950s. Remember how tiny strawberries and chickens were back then? Now everything is GMO and laced with chemicals and drugs.
I never knew anyone who was seriously allergic to anything as a kid. Maybe parents didn’t brag about it when I was a kid - helicopter parents love to brag about their kids problems. My parents were embarrassed by their children and so never spoke about them to anyone - which is how it should be!!!
On the other hand, if they want to sicc the FedGov on me, yes, f--- them. Repeatedly, and with various implements.
You asked politely and said please. That brings out more civility than being ordered to do something.
Boy, you’re on fire! Good for you. These people will never stop with their demands - because it feels good to roll passengers and airlines - what a power high it all is.
Where are these kids on trains? I never heard of peanuts being attacked on a train or a Greyhound bus.
A smoker friend of mine would say, after being asked to put his cigarette out: Sure I will - in your eye. He was what you’d call, Hardcore.
I hate flying.
What!?! I raised chickens. We had chickens half again the size of chickens now days and strawberries twice the size. Strawberries are picked too early so they have no taste, have too much white and are small.
I do agree about GMOs and other chemicals in our foods and carpets and uphostery, etc. Living 24/7 indoors is not helping kids build up their immunities. Let them play in the sunshine. Let them run around the yard. Let them scrape their knees.
I would think calling ahead and politely asking fellow passengers would wprk just fine. I know there are jerks everywhere but is some jerk going to insist on peanuts when the peer pressure is tgere? Better yet bribe the 3 rows in back and front with a glass of gratitude wine. No more rules and laws for cryin out loud.
I was born in 1959 and up to about 5 years ago I never heard of ANYONE with “peanut allergy”. Peanut butter was/is a staple in millions of homes.
I’d sign a petition for a baby-free zone as long as the zone was big enough to cover the whole airplane.
I beg to differ. With one exception, the only time I have ever encountered that type attitude was in the home or business of a smoker. That one exception was my mother and even then it only applied to my brother's house or car - and I still found it appalling.
Exactly.
I picked my daughter and a friend up from school this afternoon following an extra band class session they are both taking, originally they were going to practice on our upstairs back deck, but I suggested they do it under the tree out front because at least there is some shade there. The deck has no shade and it was 103 out there at 5pm because it is on the west side of the house.
When the friend's mom came to pick her up she and I laughed because she thought it great I had chased the girls into the woods so the deer could hear the off notes!!!
No need for apology. I offer mine if I came off rude.
That’s OK! Freepers are a tough lot and we need thick skins, I’m afraid.
You are sadly spot on in your analysis....
I couldn’t have said it any better. :(
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