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?
Lots of data shared but the outcome?
I would have said “impossible” and invited her to vacate the flight. Especially as pilot.
This passenger is a selfish jerk. They have no business on an airplane. There is reasonable accommodate for people with medical conditions and then there are unreasonable accommodations. This is unreasonable. One wonders how they made it through the concourse and onto the plane without succumbing to something.
The guy in the bubble summed it up, no nuts allowed on planes.
Sounds like a ploy to get a refund, but also a fast track way to being put on a No-Fly without a doctor’s parole list. I would not make that trade. Nut allergies sound plausible, but all of the others together are just beyond the realm of believable.
Planes can keep a bubble on hand to give to dipshits like this.
Bet she wasn’t even wearing a mask!
They need to start requesting a picture from these people I think they all have something in common!
they should TWA (try walking again). . .what a freak.
I have a severe asshole allergy. If I sit anywhere near an asshole I can experience life-threatening projectile vomiting. Please remove all assholes from the airplane, starting with Ms. Coffee/Cashew/Jet Fuel.
Sincerely,
Thing 1 in seat 3B
I don’t understand why the passenger wasted money on a ticket. Clearly the world revolves around them, they don’t need to travel.
I know of one US flag carrier that imposes HEPA filters on all of their jets. I’m guessing that other carriers do the same. The total air volume circulation in CFM on these aircraft is phenomenal. There are numerous air ambulance services and Part 135 carriers that one can use and specify how the passengers want the cabin configured. I’m not going to let one “nut case” screw up my trip because they complain about their allergies. There are numerous ways for them to travel without causing others to be miserable. I’m one that thinks that no little kids in first class/business class. I don’t care how much they pay for the seat! I had to suffer through a screaming little kid for 9 hours traveling to the UK. Check them as luggage.
This sounds like a diversion waiting to happen. She should be invited to get a doctor’s note, clearing her to fly commercial, before continuing on her journey. She really should be flying private or traveling by automobile if her situation is that dire. I hope she was flying with somebody who could take care of her medical needs in an emergency.
Someone should have printed out Google map directions from the airport to the local bus station.
Smells alone do not trigger allergic reactions, as the allergen is the protein contained in the food stuff. The protein is not contained in the odor and only direct contact will actually trigger the reaction. The only airborne trigger would be inhaling dust from the grinding of coffee, nuts, etc. The person may have an aversion to the smell due to the allergy, but that should not be enough to shut down coffee service for an entire plane.
To this human:
Why are you still alive?
Fair points made in post. Also, Comic Sans probably is not the ideal font to use when trying to raise a serious issue…
100% an arrogant, narcissistic leftist
Like 1990
This person should be taken off the plane with this attitude, but people passing out from being in the same room as peanuts, for example, is a real thing. I’ve seen it myself.
NOT the Fresh Brew!!!!! Or as I call it….Fresh Poo. Why oh why can’t AA spend the extra $0.05 a cup and get a decent brand of coffee onboard…if for nothing but the marketing and passenger perception.
Is narcissistic personality disorder or psychopathy something that airlines need to accommodate? Because that’s what this person is doing, manipulating other people without regard for anyone else. Seems to be a trend in society, making the normies jump.
This person is full of crap. Should try private jetting.
A friend said a distant relative accepted an invitation to a family Thanksgiving event. However, they shared their allergy to the smell of turkey cooking. Amazingly, the allergy went away when the host explained that there would be that smell. Ask chefs about this. Many have received a long lists of “prohibited” items from customers, usually when they are slammed. For those who invent allergies [explictive deleted]. I mean, I detest the smell of coffee brewing, but I wouldn’t lie about an allergy. For those who have real allergies, please don’t expect us to make major concessions. And, if you are allergic, know the science. My peanut M&Ms in seat 23C poses not risk to you in 13F.
I have an allergy to Comic Sans.
The pilot should have removed the passenger from the flight for his own safety!
No airline should have to deal with this.
Any airline attempting to tolerate this is setting themselves up to be sued for nonsense.
I have never asked an airline not to serve nuts. But I have occasionally asked the person sitting next to me not to eat nuts, because the reaction is unpleasant. If they don’t agree, I can take an antihistamine and I can manage. If you ask politely, I rarely get a seatmate who declines.
The Premium Airline more than likely has all of this figured out. Waiting on confirmation from Timmy Dunn.
Yea, I think an N95 mask should take care of it – the airline can provide one as a courtesy and plastic gloves … or yea, bring a doctor’s note and you can use your plastic bubble. Or buy a first class tix with a door.
No jet fuel take the Hindenburg
This has got to be some kind of joke.