Photo: Justin Taylor
The thought of spending four hours confined to a small space filled with strangers whose behavior you can’t control is intimidating in its own right, but for the severely allergic, the threat of an anaphylactic attack at 30,000 feet is enough to stay grounded.
But fear not! The itchy, sniffly, but quite informative folks at Allergic Living have compiled a list of 13 of the biggest airlines’ allergy policies, and if you’ve been traveling in fear of allergic reaction, you may be surprised by the accommodations airlines offer.
JetBlue, for example, cleans its planes with latex-free materials and United offers gluten-free meals. And if dander gets you down, there are airlines which will allow you to send pets—along with their owners—to the opposite end of the cabin (it’s the opposite of high school!). And while many airlines have cleared peanuts from their roster of cabin offerings, several airlines will assist in creating a peanut-free buffer zone for one to three rows around the nut-allergic passenger.
For a complete rundown of airline allergy policies and information on how to ensure your in-flight safety, check out the full chart at Allergic Living. But here is a summary of the greatest hits:
Air Canada | Good to know: Passengers with cat allergies can request a buffer zone or even a pet-free flight. Watch out for: Warm nuts are served in the cabin on international flights
Air France | Good to know: Gluten-free meals are available if you notify the airline at least 48 hours before takeoff. Watch out for: Nuts are still passed out on some flights, and sesame on most.
American Airlines | Good to know: Those with pet or fragrance allergies can request a change of seat in-flight. Watch out for: American is one of the few major carriers not to offer a buffer zone for food and pet allergies.
British Airways | Good to know: No pets are allowed in the cabin, with the exception of guide dogs. Watch out for: While BA doesn’t serve peanuts, it, confusingly, cannot guarantee that its meals don’t contain peanuts.
Cathay Pacific | Good to know: With 72 hours notice, Cathay will serve the entire cabin peanut-free snacks. How’s that for a buffer zone? Gluten-free and lactose-free meals are also available. Watch out for: Cathay requests that you fill out a medical form on their site when you book a flight.
Delta Airlines | Good to know: Three-row allergy buffer zones are available upon request. Watch out for: Peanuts—Delta’s flights are full of them. Peanut M&M’s, peanut butter cookies, roasted peanuts, and fruit & nut snacks are regularly on board. Crews will abstain from serving them, though, if notified of an allergy.
JetBlue | Good to know: Jet Blue is one of the few airlines to offer early boarding for allergy-prone passengers, so that they can wipe down their seats before general boarding. Additionally, planes are cleaned with latex-free materials. Watch out for: Tree nuts in snack boxes.
Southwest Airlines | Good to know: Pre-boarding for the allergy-prone is sometimes available upon request. Watch out for: Passengers with peanut allergies must arrive at the gate an hour early to fill out paperwork.
Swiss International | Good to know: This is the only airline surveyed with a very legit allergy-friendly certification. Synthetic pillows are available upon request. Watch out for: The airline must be notified eight days in advance to substitute an allergen-free meal.
United Airlines | Good to know: Pre-boarding is sometimes available. Gluten-free meal options are always available. Watch out for: This is one of the only major airlines that doesn’t offer a buffer zone policy.
US Airways | Good to know: Gluten-free and allergen-free meals are sometimes available upon request. Watch out for: Lots of “sometimes” and “if possible” in the allergen policy. Shady.
Virgin America | Good to know: This was one of just two airlines surveyed that is willing to make an announcement to the entire cabin to request everyone avoid allergy triggers. Watch out for: Both sandwich options contain nuts. Yes, even the turkey.
WestJet | Good to know: This is the other airline that offers a PA announcement for passengers with severe allergies. Also, with 48 hours notice, passengers allergic to cats can either be given a five-row buffer zone or switch flights. Watch out for: Nut-free food is not guaranteed.