A passenger seated in 4A handed a letter to a flight attendant outlining their travel requirements. They insisted that no coffee be served on board the flight, no nuts, and that they needed to be shielded from perfumes; colognes; scented soap; body lotion; and jet fuel.
They also wanted a large bottle of water – the kind crew use to serve the cabin rather than individual-sized bottles.
Imagine sitting next to a passenger like this? pic.twitter.com/XTatUE3VPQ
— Sergio Rodriguez (Blue Checkmark) (@LyftGyft) May 20, 2025
I am highly allergic to the smell of coffee and would appreciate it if you could refrain from brewing coffee. As even the smell can stop my breathing.
It sounds like they’ve been tasting the Fresh Brew coffee onboard American Airlines! The note ends thanking the flight attendant for making the flight “as enjoyable as possible for me.”
The passenger says they have a severe cashew allergy and want the flight attendant not to serve any nuts onboard. I wonder if they know that cashews are not nuts and also that they’d have better luck registering a concern two days before their flight than springing it on the crew after they’ve boarded?
Delta Air Lines will go a long way to accommodate nut allergies – they won’t serve peanuts (and peanut products) onboard if you notify them at least 48 hours prior to departure, replacing onboard snacks, and they’ll allow the allergy sufferer to preboard to wipe down their seating area.
Neither United nor American serve peanuts. But they serve hot nuts! No airline can really stop passengers from bringing on nuts, either.
You may be able to use the excuse of an allergy as a reason you cannot travel – whether it’s true or not. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are passengers who have obtained refunds rather than travel vouchers good for a year on the basis of a need not to take a flight as a medical accommodation.
However, airborne nut dust triggering allergic reactions is not real. You’re just not going to get an anaphylactic reaction to nut dust in an airplane cabin. At most, if a tray table were contaminated with nut refuse, an allergic person’s skin might get irritated. Bring disinfecting wipes and clean your area. There’s no need to shut down airline food service.
- Peanut dust or “vapors” do not linger in the air in any concentration that can trigger severe reaction. Someone who is super sensitive might suffer eye irritation, for instance. But that’s about it.
- In clinical trials, about 2% of patients get a runny nose or itchy eyes when exposed to airborne peanut protein. That’s about it – even when right beside the sources of peanuts.
- There could be higher concentrations in the air in a peanut processing plant! But not on an aircraft. Downward airflow and HEPA filtration are going to make a big difference here.
I have to think though that this passenger is simply not super self-aware. If even the smell of coffee can kill them, how are they walking through an airport with myriad Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, and various and sundry coffee outlets? What about all of the cashew snacks being munched in the gate area?
Body Pod in Delta First Class, Credit: Under The Weather
It’s one thing to accommodate medical needs, and mental health may be a medical issue, but if they’re going to travel then maybe they need to fly an airline that will allow a body tent?
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