I know I’m a little behind on this article and should have written something on this sooner, but I just came across an article that was surprisingly annoying in the Toronto Sun.  I came across an article regarding the Air Canada vs. Nut Free zone on flight, and I must say, that the article had some interesting facts and think I should give my Peanut-Free opinion.

So by now, you might know that Air Canada will have a nut free zone on their flights. It all started with one lady, Sophia Huyer, who is highly allergic to nuts and mentioning on 3 occasions while boarding that she cannot sit or breathe nuts as it will cause a reaction.  All 3 times, she was asked to be removed from flight or poorly accommodated and claimed that Air Canada had difficulty accommodating the needs even after the airline was informed of their nut allergies. Huyer was enclosed herself for about 40 minutes in a washroom on the aircraft during the time nuts were served on flight.

Now why someone who has such a lethal allergy should be removed from a flight or better yet as mentioned above, sit in a washroom for 40 minutes! Did she not pay for a necessary way to get from point A to point B, and at the same price another passenger has paid?  Woodcock states that adults can protect themselves and that if someone is so allergic than they shouldn’t leave their houses.  Hello, we are not at fault, and it is  unfortunate for many people who can and do enjoy eating nuts, however, if this means stopping someone from having an allergy attack which can lead to death, then I would have to and I do totally disagree with this comment! This comment doesn’t even make any sense!

Due to this and according the Canadian Transportation Agency, Air Canada was ordered to establish nut-free zones on its flights for people with nut allergies. I think it’s great that finally someone has taken action against one airline.  As I mentioned in one of my other posts, a nut allergy can be not only dangerous but lethal! In case you have forgotten, you are miles up in the air and no where near a hospital and let me tell you an Epi-pen is not enough since I have had an attack to both nuts and sesame seeds and boy am I grateful to have some professional health care close by!

According to CBC news, the following was stated:

“An exclusion or buffer zone where passengers within that zone will be advised that they can only eat foods that are peanut-free or nut-free and that they will only be offered peanut-free or nut-free foods as part of Air Canada’s onboard snack or meal will also address the risk of other passengers eating peanuts or nuts,” the agency said in its ruling.”  Read the full article

The Canadian Transporation Agency has only ruled this for Air Canada, but may finally become a part of all aircraft carrier policy.

Air Canada has stopped serving peanuts for years but were still serving cashews and other snacks that contained nuts.

The other part where Woodcock mentions that she found it “disturbing” that nuts and peanuts or peanut butter was banned from schools. She claims to have an allergy as well to almonds no less! How can something so serious be disturbing? I think it’s great that the seriousness of an allergy like this is taught to young children. She does state that she realized that it is safer to ban it from schools since some children cannot understand the dangers, at least she made some sense with this point.   My little cousin, who is only 7, has been taught of the seriousness and is even more cautious around me too, which I had found myself saying “WOW”, these kids today are really being informed.  The reason for nuts being banned from schools is that even just a sniff or whiff of nuts, (which for someone who is allergic is 10 times more sensitive) can cause a reaction.

I personally can smell nuts around me and lets not forget my high risk allergy to sesame seeds, which I can smell 10 times more quickly from a mile away, and feel nauseous that I need to leave a room right away.