Leaving on a jet plane

We just completed another food allergy milestone- our first plane flight. While the planning was somewhat stressful (my fear of the unknown more than anything else), the flight itself went really smoothly. We did stay with family, so we didn't have to worry about the "eating out" aspect of vacationing that is a bigger concern for most food-allergic families. However, here are some things that might be helpful to other parents trying to plan their first flight for a food-allergic child:

• We contacted three airlines- Frontier, Southwest, and United. Frontier unfortunately was unable to accommodate our concerns, as they have recently begun selling peanut-containing snacks on their flights. Southwest said they would make an announcement prior to the flight to ask passengers to voluntarily refrain from peanuts, and they would not serve peanuts within a "buffer zone" of 2-3 rows. They also requested that we fly the first flight of the day, as all planes are cleaned overnight. United said that they do not serve any peanut-containing snacks, but that they couldn't guarantee a peanut-free flight, as passengers are allowed to bring whatever they wish on board. United was the best option for us, all things considered. (None of the airlines were able to make any accommodations for the milk or egg allergies, which we weren't really expecting anyway.) However, always contact the airlines yourself, just in case their policies change.


• When you make your plans, always contact customer service, either to make the reservation with an agent, or afterwards to inform them of the food allergy. Even if it doesn't affect their food service plans, you will want them to make a note of the allergy on your reservation.


• Bring your own snacks for on the plane! This is really the only way you know for sure that what your child eats is safe.


• Carry your EpiPen with you. You are allowed to bring it on board, as long as you declare it with security. I put it in the security bin, separate from my "3-1-1" bag, and informed the security agent that I was carrying it. Make sure that you have the prescription information, including the patient's name and doctor's name. You may also do this with liquid Benadryl or other medications you may need to bring- just be sure to declare it separately from your "3-1-1" bag. I also got a letter from our allergist stating that Bryan has food allergies and that we needed to carry the EpiPen on board with us, just to be sure.


• Carry disinfecting wipes- we had some for cleaning surfaces, as well as hand wipes. We wiped down the seat belts, as well as the trays, as soon as we got to our seats.

Some helpful websites for making travel plans with food allergies include:

Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network- http://www.foodallergy.org/Advocacy/airlines.html
Transportation Security Administration- http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/