If you have a peanut allergy, Southwest Airlines has good news for you.
Beginning August 1, the airline will stop serving packaged peanuts on all of its flights. In a statement released to the media, Southwest said it was committed to ensuring “the best on-board experience for everyone, especially for customers with peanut-related allergies.”
Although the carrier will no longer serve peanuts during the inflight snack service, travelers will still be allowed to bring food of their own onboard. For this reason, passengers with peanut allergies would be wise to clean seats and tray tables of any peanut residue. Southwest will permit passengers with peanut allergies to preboard the aircraft for this purpose.
Other carriers, including American Airlines and United Airlines, have previously removed peanuts from their complimentary snack offering. Delta won’t serve peanuts onboard if a passenger notifies the airline of their allergy in advance.
Regardless of which carrier you are flying, peanut allergies should be disclosed. Call the airline to make sure the correct special service code has been added to your reservation. The SSR code for peanut allergies is PNUT. Simple enough!
In announcing the change, the carrier said that “Our ultimate goal is to create an environment where all customers—including those with peanut-related allergies—feel safe and welcome on every Southwest flight.”
Allergic reactions to peanut exposure can be deadly for some, so this is a common-sense decision that will improve the travel experience for many.
What do you think about Southwest’s decision to stop serving peanuts?
Do you think other airlines should follow suit?
Let me know in the comments below!
