Court orders Air Canada nut-free zone

[Ryan N]

Court orders Air Canada nut-free zone
January 9, 2010 - 7:14AM
AFP

Canada's transportation regulator has ordered Air Canada to accommodate passengers with severe nut allergies by seating them in new nut-free zones on aircraft.

"The agency has determined that a buffer zone, including an announcement within that zone, is the appropriate accommodation for persons with disabilities due to their allergy to peanuts or nuts," the Canadian Transportation Agency said in its ruling.

The agency had received two complaints from passengers with nut allergies since 2006.

One of the complainants had hidden in the airplane washroom for 40 minutes while nutty snacks were served to other passengers on a flight from Frankfurt to Toronto.

In another case, a traveller was removed and was rebooked on another flight two-and-a-half hours later in which "all nuts were removed". Other passengers on the second flight were also asked not to bring nuts onboard.

In its ruling, the federal regulator noted the nut allergies in these cases were so extreme that nuts did not have to be ingested. Rather, the mere presence of nuts in the immediate environment was "enough to cause concern".

The three-member panel deemed these allergies to be tantamount to an impairment or disability, which airlines must accommodate.

Air Canada argued it should be up to the passengers to take precautions against exposure to nuts. It does not serve peanuts on flights, but does serve smokehouse almonds, cashews and other snacks which may contain nuts.

"If a passenger is allergic or sensitive to products that may be found in the aircraft cabin, it is the passenger's responsibility to bring the proper medication and to have the proper protection," Air Canada said in its submission.

But allergy specialists said peanut proteins have been found in commercial airline air filters, demonstrating they may become aerosolised in flight and remain suspended in aircraft cabins.

The regulator said creating a nut-free buffer zone is the best solution, and gave Air Canada 30 days to come up with a recommended size of the buffer.

© 2010 AFP

[Owen H]

[Robert Zweck]

This problem did not seem to exist 30 years ago, why does it exist now?


In the Adelaide Advertiser a few days ago I noticed a request that no mandarins should be brought into a particular Government Office building, as one of the staff had a severe allergy to them.

I know of small children who are allergic to orange juice.

[Anthony T]

Strange, it seems the nutcases want a nut free zone.

I have been flying on commercial airliners for over 40 years, and I have never witnessed anyone drop dead when an airline has offered nuts to passengers.

I quite often take bags of nuts on board long haul flights and will continue doing so, nuts are my cigarette substitute on long flights.

Anthony T

[Robert S]

Originally Posted by Robert Zweck

This problem did not seem to exist 30 years ago, why does it exist now?

That's an issue of some debate... you might be interested in this article on time.com, which touches on that question.

There's also this article in the LA Times, based on the same source, and this later response.

I loved the packet of peanuts I got on Southwest... it had a warning on it... "Contains Peanuts".

[Raymond Rowe]

Maybe they need to see the nutty professor to get over the allergies.This world is getting madder all the time.As robert said thirty years ago it was no such thing what has bought this on all of a sudden.

[Craig Lindsay]

What happens if the person who is allergic to nuts has to transfer onto another carrier that doesnt do the same as air canada.Who is responsible then?.stupid .If we where going to to do this with every person who was allergic there would be noboby on the plane

[Rhys Xanthis]

My brother is allergic to shellfish.

No crabs/lobster in F/J anymore!!

[Grant Smith]

Rhys,

Not too sure if you're joking (due to the use of '!!' in your post) but I digress, as far as I'm still aware Lobster is still available in F/J on SQ among others..

[Gareth Forwood]

I was on a Virgin Atlantic flight in 2006 where no peanuts were served on the entire flight - there was one passenger who was extremely allergic to nuts and evidently just the presence of nuts nearby was a risk. I don't know what a suitable solution would be, but I agree that having an enforced "nut-free zone" is taking it a bit far. I still think that those with severe allergies should not be precluded from travel, but maybe the responsibility for protecting themselves should be their own.

On that 2006 flight, not a single passenger near me complained or even grumbled about not being able to have peanuts - I think that there are very few people with such extreme allergies, and most airlines would be happy to accomodate their needs for single flights.