A recent 
Delta Air Lines
flyer was removed from her Boston-bound flight due to a shellfish allergy concern. Ellie Brelis, a frequent flier, and Delta rewards credit card holder, has a life-threatening shellfish allergy. Upon boarding a flight from Los Angeles International Airport
to Boston Logan International Airport
on Sunday, a Delta medical representative removed her from the flight as shellfish were being cooked in first class.
Documented in her booking
Brelis, a frequent corporate traveler, carries an EpiPen wherever she goes. During the boarding of her flight to Boston, she informed the cabin crew, as usual, of her allergy. The flight attendant was immediately concerned, as the first class cabin was being served shellfish for their main meal, as Brelis explained to CBS News:
“She brought out another flight attendant into it, and all of a sudden, it just kind of became this really big commotion where they said they were concerned because they were cooking shellfish in first class and they couldn’t not serve it.”
Photo: lorenzatx | Shutterstock
Even though Brelis was not scheduled to travel in first class, the concern remained for the cabin crew. It led to a Delta medical representative boarding the aircraft and asking Brelis to leave. While her luggage remained onboard, Brelis was rebooked for a later Delta service, but this flight also had no assurance of a buffer zone from shellfish being served. Brelis explained, as reported by CBS News:
“I also, in that moment, was just genuinely scared I wasn’t going to be able to get home to see my doctor on Monday morning.”
Related
Airline Special Meals & Their Codes: Everything You Need To Know
Our guide to the various special airline meals that accommodate dietary restrictions and religious traditions.
Rebooked a new flight with an alternative carrier
Given Brelis’s situation, she eventually purchased a new, last-minute ticket with JetBlue
to ensure she could return home. The Delta flight was not refunded, and Brelis was uncertain about future travel with the carrier. Brelis noted:
“I would love to know if it’s something that I did that I could do differently in the future to ensure that this doesn’t happen.”
Photo: Ceri Breeze | Shutterstock
While Delta Air Lines has not immediately responded to the comment, the airline does note that any passengers with allergies are to fill out a form and contact accessibility
services before flying, which Brelis followed these procedures.
Related
How To Prepare For A Flight When You Have A Nut Allergy
Most airlines are able to provide a bubble around passengers with allergies and offer nut-free snacks.
A bubble around allergic passengers
A common practice for those traveling with severe allergies is that an airline will avoid serving common allergens in its food (such as
peanuts
). However, as airline meals are produced in mass, ensuring they are not packed in a nut-free environment is generally impossible.
Airlines often implement a personal buffer zone around passengers with declared allergies. Once the cabin crew is aware, they can implement an allergy buffer zone by notifying customers seated nearby to refrain from eating any allergen-containing products they may have brought onboard. While not all airlines are known to create full aircraft buffer zones or make general announcements, other airlines worldwide have been known to announce if allergic passengers are onboard.