According to multiple reports, a family was removed from a flight for causing a disturbance by making an announcement about one member’s peanut allergy.
Georgie Palmer, along with her husband and two daughters, was on a flight from London to Dalaman, Turkey, with SunExpress on May 21. According to MailOnline, a dispute erupted during the journey.
According to the outlet, Palmer’s daughter Rosie has a life-threatening peanut allergy that could potentially trigger a fatal anaphylactic reaction.
Airline staff, however, declined to make a public announcement requesting fellow passengers to refrain from consuming peanuts. Taking matters into her own hands, Palmer decided to address the issue herself, as depicted in an Instagram post discovered by MailOnline.
“We kindly requested the passengers seated at the front of the plane to help us with our request,” she recounted. “One by one, like a well-coordinated cascade, the passengers turned around and politely asked the row behind them to refrain from consuming nuts during the flight.”
According to her, the passengers didn’t mind at all.
According to her account, the pilot was furious and started yelling at them, eventually demanding that they leave. This incident forced the family to spend approximately $6,400 on alternative flights and accommodations.
According to a SunExpress spokesperson, the airline has stated that they do not make announcements like this because they cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment on their flights.
According to a spokesperson, passengers are required to inform the airline about any special requirements at least 48 hours in advance. However, in the case of Palmer, this requirement was not fulfilled.
Palmer, in her response, informed the BBC that she had attempted to establish contact but was unable to reach anyone.
According to the Mail, the airline mentioned that Palmer’s husband, Nick Sollom, displayed aggression towards the crew and attempted to gain access to the cockpit.
Palmer dismissed the claim as “absolute nonsense,” in an interview with the BBC.
In an interview with the Mail, Sollom stated that he approached the cockpit door to discuss the situation with the pilot, emphasizing that he did not display any aggressive behavior.
The airline’s spokesperson reaffirmed their stance in response to these denials, stating that they continue to stand by their previous statements.
Frequent flyers with allergies are often faced with the daunting task of extensive planning, as only a select few major airlines, such as British Airways, Air Canada, Southwest, Delta, and JetBlue, have made it a priority to include such accommodations in their policies. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of these measures for the wellbeing of passengers with allergies.
SunExpress was blamed by an advocate for individuals with severe allergies.
In a recent Facebook post, Nadim Ednan-Laperouse, one of the cofounders of the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, expressed his strong opinion that SunExpress should promptly reconsider its policies.
“It is important to recognize that food allergies are a legitimate medical condition, not a mere lifestyle choice. The incident involving this family on a plane is truly shocking and completely unacceptable,” he emphasized.
He added that, regrettably, this is not an isolated incident.
SunExpress is not the only airline that has declined to make an allergy announcement, which has the potential to save lives.
Passengers of United and Lufthansa have shared their unpleasant experiences regarding the matter.
In August, a passenger with allergies had to spend $185 to purchase all the peanuts available on her flight.
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