from the Toronto Star:
Air Canada adds nuts to no-fly list
Nut-free 'buffer zone' ordered for travellers with severe allergiesNoor Javed
Staff Reporter
Published On Fri Jan 08 2010
There is business class, first class, economy class. Coming soon to an airplane near you: nut-free class.
Air Canada has been told to create a nut-free "buffer zone" on all flights to accommodate passengers who suffer from severe nut allergies. Thursday's decision by the Canadian Transportation Agency followed complaints from two passengers about the inconsistent and difficult experiences they faced when they asked Air Canada to accommodate their severe nut allergies.
"There was clearly no policy. I was getting a different story on every flight," said complainant and frequent traveller Sophia Huyer. "Certain individual flight attendants, if they understand the issue of allergies, would accommodate me, but often it was left up to the captain or staff to make that decision."
Huyer filed the complaint in June 2006 after two flights where she had asked flight staff to not serve nuts. On one, the flight attendant said she could get off the plane and take a later flight. She did. The next time, she stayed on board. When the attendant insisted on serving nuts, Huyer locked herself in the washroom for 40 minutes.
"I felt like I was in a life-threatening situation," said Huyer, whose severe allergy can make it difficult for her to breathe, give her a rash, and cause her tongue to swell if she is even around nuts. ...........(more)
The complete piece is at:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/747973--air-canada-adds-nuts-to-no-fly-list?bn=1