I don’t know if this will help, but it seems like a lot of these comments are due to misunderstanding, and I would love to take this opportunity to educate some on this decision. I have a peanut allergy, and the decision to remove peanuts from flights is life changing. Unlike many other conditions, the SMELL of peanuts can trigger a reaction midair in the closed in conditions of a plane. When over a hundred people open bags of peanuts at once, it is completely unavoidable for peanut dust to be sent into the air in every part of the plane, which is terrifying for someone who could die by inhaling it. One in thirteen children in the US has a food allergy, and in the last 20 years, the prevalence of peanut or tree nut allergies has more than tripled. It is a legitimate issue that affects more people than you may realize. @VickiLE, @samloubolton I understand your concerns as someone with food sensitivities not being able to eat anything provided, but wouldn’t you rather someone not literally die mid-flight than simply bring your own snacks? I, and others with peanut allergies, still cannot eat snacks on the plane, as even the pretzels are made in the same factory as peanuts, however it just makes flying a LOT safer for peanut allergic people. @DontStealMyNuts Addressing your “Bottomline”, yes, many people are allergic to things, but peanuts are one of the few allergies that can be caused simply by inhaling peanut dust. Someone allergic to dairy or gluten won’t have an allergic reaction from the AIR on the plane, and you can bring your own food on a plane. You can’t be ALLERGIC to cramped spaces, as much as everyone might not like them, and lastly, peanut allergies aren’t a fad. It is a medical condition, and TRUST ME, I wish that I could just turn it off like you would prefer. It isn’t about the other items that may contain nuts, it’s simply about the direct presence of peanuts on the plane. @maseratijim Catering to a medical condition that affects a significant portion of the population is not “political correctness”. It isn’t an opinion or a choice, people who are allergic to peanuts can DIE if they eat or smell them. Would you really rather someone go into anaphylactic shock and die mid-flight than go without peanuts for a few hours? @ElleZ It isn’t about discrediting other special needs. Smelling peanut dust mid-flight could literally kill someone with an allergy. Diabetics, and all food allergic people, have the option of bringing their own food on the plane, but someone with a peanut allergy does not have the option to not die if they’re stuck in a metal tube in the air with air filled with peanut dust. I would love for all special needs to be accommodated, but this is a great move in the right direction for now. @mdfosse Perhaps when you grew up there were no peanut allergies, but as I stated, in the last 20 years, peanut allergy incidence has tripled. I don’t like it, and trust me, I would also prefer that peanut allergies just not exist. But they do, and being in a plane with peanuts can literally kill people. It’s like sticking someone in a confined space with poisonous gas, and just telling them to get over it. You could always eat peanuts after the flight! Maybe none of this will work, but I would love to be able to educate at least one person, so they can understand why this is a great change on the part of Southwest, and how even if it’s a minor inconvenience, it could, and will, save lives. Peanut allergies are not a choice, they are not enjoyable, and they can kill people regardless of age. Understanding just a little more might help at least one person empathize with this decision and with the peanut allergic community. Thank you if you’ve taken the time to read this. So thank you, Southwest, for making this decision that will help many people, and being bold enough to do so even among criticism of many.
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