With business and pleasure travel on the rise, it's important for individuals with food allergies to remain vigilant while away from home. Those comprising the 1 - 2 percent of the American population diagnosed with food allergies must take care when selecting menu items at a restaurant, reading food ingredient labels in a store and choosing what to eat on an airplane. Food allergic travelers can take comfort in the fact that the airlines have considered their dietary needs and are ready and willing to accommodate them. As is true every day for those with food allergies, preparedness, proper education and effective management are essential for a safe trip.
Medical specialists have studied issues facing individuals who might experience allergic reactions while traveling by air to better understand these and suggest appropriate precautions. A report published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI), July 1999, vol. 104, no. 1, by Sicherer, Furlong, DeSimone and Sampson found that only a small percentage of susceptible passengers experience food allergic reactions while traveling on commercial airlines. The study investigated self-reports by 42 individuals who said they experienced an allergic reaction to peanuts and tree nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc.) during air travel. Interestingly, airplane personnel were notified of such reactions in only 33 percent of cases.
To accommodate their dietary needs, individuals with food allergies can request special meals or snacks that are free of specific food allergens. Most airlines are happy to honor such requests made prior to the actual day of travel. Clearly, effective communication between passengers with food allergies and airline staff remains key, along with education and emergency preparedness by both passengers and flight personnel, when it comes to responding to food allergic reactions.
John James, M.D., incoming chair of the Adverse Reactions to Foods Committee of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, underscores the need for preparedness in an editorial accompanying the recent JACI study of self-reported in-flight food allergy reactions. He said, "education and preparedness should prevail; education of patients, the airline industry, medical colleagues, and ourselves about the best approach to this clinical problem." All potential exposures should be anticipated with a practical emergency plan in place and a clear understanding of these issues between the flight crew and the passenger. Dr. James also stressed personal responsibility, noting that "Patients need to be encouraged to continue in their preventive efforts in dealing with their food allergies."
