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No Peanuts Flight - An Exercise in Ridiculousness!

It was the standard fare, pun intended! I was on a track back home in the Detroit area from the West coast, Ontario California to be specific. Grumpy, as I always am when flying West to East and losing 2 to 3 hours do to Time Zone changes, what occurred just struck me funny - not as in "ha ha", that's in an irritating way! No, it wasn't the required stop-over in Minneapolis/St.Paul (Twin Cities) Mimnesota and the 1 1/2 hours to kill between flights, I understand the logistics of this, though I'd prefer to have direct flights everywhere, and I can live with this minor inconvenience. After all, remember our previous generations only having Bus and Train travel, that would be torture (nothing against Trains and/or Buses mind you, I just don't want to take that long to get across the country if I don't have to).

Anyway, I boarded NW0760 service from MSP to DTW (Detroit Metro Airport Detroit Michigan) and settled into seat 24-A. I was looking forward to the time when we'd be airborne and I'd have our standard fare for lunch - Peanuts. This was not to be an ordinary flight, to my taste-buds dismay. A few minutes before backing away from the gate the announcement came: this would be a "NO PEANUTS" flight due to someone on board with an allergy to Peanuts.

Whoa, wait a minute. Somehow I feel my Rights were violated!?!? Let me state that I have allergies, so I know what that is like. I don't wish to minimize this "persons" condition, as I don't know what individual had the "Peanut allergy" or its severity. But once again it immediately smacked of the modern day typical over-reaction. Somebody, somewhere, at some time, probably filed a Law-suit, and now I'm deprived of my lunch!

Again, I have an Allergy to Maple syrup, but when I go to a restaurant I don't ask everyone on the premises to not have Maple syrup on their Waffles or Pancakes, I just don't eat the Maple syrup! We don't know this persons condition, but this appears on the surface as yet another example of the "Masses suffering for the few". Let's not be unsympetic here, there ought to be a way for this person to comfortably fly with their ailment without inconveniencing the rest of the passengers and crew. Isn't there? After all, the airlines serve "Special meals" to those with dietary requirements and/or Religious beliefs that place a restriction on their diet. Let's not get into Religion though, remember, you can force your atheism on someone, but you can't force your other Religious beliefs on someone else. Let's take the Peanut and Maple syrup examples again - If someone (for Religious reasons) were to believe they, nor anyone else for that matter, should not eat meat, does that mean that person could have declared that my morning flight from Ontario to MSP should've been a non-meat flight? They did serve a Ham type McSandwich (if you know what I mean - Thanks to McDonalds for the visual example opportunity). Banana's, what about those Banana's that were on the morning flight? Someone might get a rash from Yellow foods. Couldn't this person have worn a mask or respiratory aid (doctors mask, white mask for painting, etc..)? NOPE, we've got to inconvenience the WHOLE PLANE (make them change everything) rather than stigmatize this poor sole with the Peanut allergy by asking THEM to do something about their condition!!!

Did I not pay for the Lunch that I was supposed to get on this flight? Now I feel ripped-off! I asked the Steward (Vincent, very nice and friendly guy) "What would I be receiving in lieu of my peanuts?" The response was that there was not sufficient time to load anything else onto the aircraft. IF there was another choice, what if I didn't want that choice - I wanted my Peanuts. It's not a flight without Peanuts (It be like going to a baseball game and not getting a hot-dog).

I inquired further: "Would I receive a partial refund?" "Would I be awarded additional Frequent Flyer miles" for my empty stomach? Like I said before, I didn't know ahead of time that this would be a "Peanut Free" flight, I found out while on board, just a few minutes before the plane was to pull from the gate. I could've taken a "Peanut" flight an hour or two later, but since I didn't know ahead that "Choice" was taken from me! In Vincent and Northwest defense, I didn't ask for the opportunity to take my lunch (Peanuts) with me off the plane, but no-one offered to still give me my lunch either. They could've offered me the lunch on my honor that I wouldn't open them until off the plane, like they stated in their announcement: (paraphrasing) 'If you brought peanuts onto the aircraft, please do not open them'. I could've been offered that option. Right?

Perhaps I should contact a Lawyer? Certainly in today's climate their must be some way to assert that my "Civil Rights" were violated. I'm sure that if I had called a Lawyer from the plane, we could've obtained an injunction so as to quarantine that plane and have some tests performed. There didn't seem to be an incident, that was apparent, in regard to this persons Peanut allergy, but I'd be willing to bet that if we Cleaned/Vacuumed and inspected, the contents of our rags and vacuum bag, that there would've been some Peanut "dust" and/or "debris" on that plane. Yet it seems that person survived just fine. Probably would've been just fine if people had their Peanuts also.

What if I were Claustrophobic? Could I get a Medical excuse and "require special seating" of the airline? Maybe they should be forced to put me by the window where I can see out? Maybe they should be forced to put NO-ONE in the seats beside me? What about the inherent lack of airflow while the plane sits around? You know how hot and stale it gets in those planes, Right? I should be allowed on LAST and off the plane FIRST! Right?
Etc... etc... etc...

What about the DOG on the flight? That's right, someone had a dog on the flight! How many people do you know that have an allergic reaction to being around a Dog or a Cat? They didn't announce that the Dog was on the plane giving Dog allergic customers the opportunity to object and/or de-plane.

I hope you've ascertained that I am being somewhat "tongue in check" about this, but serious questions do exist over this. How far do we continue to allow these incidents, and C.Y.A. (if you know what I mean) liability wise to go. Ultimately the question is: "Where does this B.S. end?"

The main reason, and answer to which lies behind, in my opinion, is: LITIGATION! We have allowed too many ridiculous Lawsuits that should be thrown out for peoples lack of "PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY" and/or "failure to protect themselves" have instead awarded Millions of dollars to the IDIOT's (yes, IDIOT'S in my opinion - like the McDonalds coffee drinker case). The types of over-reactions I am pointing out here are a spin-off to these circumstances of Litigation out of control.

The bottom line: Everyone cannot expect Government, Corporations, your Mommy and your Daddy, etc... to "protect you from everyone, including yourself" - and that is just plain "Common Sense" that everyone seems to avoid using these days. We have to strike a balance between protecting those who "truly" can't help and/or protect themselves (rather than just the lazy, ignorant by choice, and the opportunists exploiting bad law) and the Freedoms, Rights, and Convenience of others.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm kind of hungry so I'm going to get some Peanuts.

FLIGHT INFO: NW0760 26JUN00 MSP to DTW 0300P 24-A LENARD/JOSEPH.M NW924192916 CC: NWA, FAA

Your comments, as with any of my articles, are welcomed.
Feel free to send me an EMail! (click here)

update 12/18/2000:
For those of you who are still unlcear of the mood, spirit, and intent of this article, let me unequivocally state that this situation is more an indictment of Society than it is of Northwest Airlines.
I'd also like to take this opportunity to Thank Northwest for their good natured reply.

NorthWest was a big part of my Honeymoon. No Peanut problems on that flight!
Rhonda & I took a Disney Cruise for an Outline and Photos (click here)