Peanut regulations won't save passengers with allergies

If you're planning to travel on a Northwest Airlines flight in the near future, you could be flying for peanuts. I'm not talking about a huge drop in ticket prices - you'll shell out as much as the next guy. I'm talking about peanuts - those little nuts all the airlines used to serve with your drink orders before pretzels replaced them. And some angry travelers want to roast the airline for the return to yesteryear. Here's why.

Passengers with peanut allergies can have severe reactions to the slightest presence of peanut oil. Some claim even the essence of peanuts recycled through the plane's air conditions system may cause severe reactions and even death. So peanut sufferers banned together and asked the government to rid aircraft of all peanut products.

Back in October of 1998, the U.S. Department of Transportation took a stand. They ordered the airlines to establish peanut-free zones to accommodate passengers with peanut allergies.

Many of the airlines kept the nuts and established a peanut-buffer zone. Any passenger with a medically documented peanut allergy may call the airline and request a peanut-free zone. The zone includes the allergic passenger's row, as well as the row in front and behind. But this can cause problems.

When the beverage service begins, the flight attendant is instructed to avoid serving any peanut products to passengers seated in the buffer zone.

While it seldom happens, when it does, nonallergenic passengers seated in this area sometimes suffer extreme peanut envy and became upset when passengers seated in other parts of the plane are enjoying their goobers.

So most of the airlines, including Northwest Airlines, decided it was easier to bag the peanuts and pass out pretzels during their in-flight service. But since Delta Air Lines, who acquired Northwest Airlines a few months ago, is based in Georgia (The Peanut Capital of the World), Northwest Airlines is back in the peanut gallery.

But passengers angry with the Northwest Airlines plan to return to peanut products, should lighten up. Banning peanuts from a few rows doesn't accomplish anything in staving off a severe peanut allergy attack. If anything it's dangerous because it gives the peanut sufferer a false sense of well-being.

There's nothing to stop a passenger seated in the buffer zone from boarding with his own peanut stash. And nobody knows how long it has been since the tray tables were washed.

Instead of worrying about peanuts being served on an aircraft, passengers who suffer from severe peanut allergies shouldn't expect a buffer zone to keep them safe. They should avoid eating any airline snacks or meals and bring their own food onboard. They should pack sterile wipes in their carry-on bag and clean off their seat and tray table before they sit down. And, they should keep necessary medications at hand in case of an attack.

Expecting the government or an airline to keep you safe with a few token regulations is just plain nuts.

Gail Todd, a free-lance writer,worked as a flight attendant for more than 30years. She can be reached via e-mail at gailtodd@aol.com.