The food allergy operations of some of the top major airlines have various accommodations and policies to assist passengers with allergies:
Alaska Airlines: Travel deals from Alaska Airlines
- Passengers are advised to communicate their allergies when booking.
- Crew may announce serious nut or peanut allergies to other passengers and request them to refrain from consuming such products.
- Allows pre-boarding for passengers with food allergies to clean their seating area.
- Does not serve peanuts but may serve warm nuts in first class.
- Cannot guarantee a nut- or allergen-free flight but has emergency medical kits with epinephrine auto-injectors onboard.
American Airlines: – Travel deals from AA
- Advises adding a note about peanut or nut allergies when booking.
- Does not make in-flight announcements about passengers with food allergies.
- Does not serve peanuts but cannot prevent other passengers from bringing peanuts onboard.
- Offers pre-boarding to clean seating areas for allergens.
- Provides gluten-free meals if pre-ordered.
- Includes epinephrine auto-injectors in their medical kits.
Delta Air Lines: Travel deals from Delta
Delta Air Lines tries to accommodate passengers with allergies but can’t guarantee a peanut-free or allergen-free flight. If notified of a peanut allergy, they will refrain from serving peanuts and peanut products onboard. Passengers with significant allergic reactions are recommended to bring their own medications. Delta allows passengers to pre-board to clean their seat area of allergens. They also offer a variety of special meals to comply with special dietary requirements.
United Airlines: Travel deals from United Airlines
- Does not serve pre-packaged peanuts but cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment.
- May pass along requests to nearby passengers to refrain from consuming allergen-containing products.
- Does not offer allergen-free buffer zones.
Southwest Airlines: Travel deals from Southwest Airlines
- Stopped serving peanuts but cannot guarantee snacks are free from peanut contamination.
- Cannot prevent passengers from bringing peanuts onboard.
JetBlue: Travel delas from JetBlue
- Does not serve peanuts but does serve other nuts and items that may be cross-contaminated with peanuts.
- On request, will create a three-row buffer zone around a passenger with a nut allergy.
- Offers full refunds to passengers whose allergies make it impossible for them to travel.
For a detailed overview of each airline’s policies, I recommend visiting their respective official websites or contacting their customer service for the most current information. Additionally, organizations like Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) and Allergic Living provide resources and updates on airline policies regarding food allergies.