How do you keep your daughter safe on an airplane?

Emma and I love to travel but of course there are safety issues that come up because of her food allergies.  I often get asked, How do you keep your daughter safe on an airplane? I will admit, flying with her still causes major anxiety for me specifically because I know that if she goes into anaphylaxis, the plane will have to make an emergency landing. Also, there will be a delay in getting her to an emergency room for continued treatment after administering her Epipen, and that is also a major concern. However, we choose to enjoy life as much as possible and have come up with a system that works for us. I am sharing this in hopes that it helps you too. Here is a list of the steps I take when flying with Emma…

1. I only book airlines who don’t serve nuts of any kind, who allow medical pre-boarding and who make an announcement to other passengers about her having life threatening food allergies. Jet blue is by far the best in my opinion- they go out of their way to constantly check on her and do their best to keep her safe. We have also had good luck with Alaska Airlines and United. I always alert the airlines about her food allergies when booking our flights so it is in the reservation. I get to the gate early and check with the gate attendant to verify that it is listed and they are aware. I also remind them that we are a medical pre-board. 

2. Having a medical pre-board is a must. The extra time allows you to speak to the flight attendants before they are busy, clean your seats with wipes and put on disposable seat covers. I purchase them on Amazon. These are great because they cover the seat, the arm rests and the tray. 

3. Emma always wears a mask during the flight. Even though nuts are not served on the flight, passengers can bring them on board. The likelihood of a reaction from peanut dust in the air on a plane is low, but I feel it is always better to be safe than sorry. 

4. Pack plenty of safe snacks in your carry on bag. Do not risk hoping they might have something safe to eat or trying something new while in flight. It is not worth the risk! 

5. Lastly, always carry extra sets of Epipens with you on the plane, not in your checked luggage. We always take 4 sets of Epipens with us when we travel. I know this sounds extreme but let me explain why. First of all, never pack extra sets in your checked luggage because if your luggage gets lost, so does your Epipen. We have a set in each of our backpacks and a set in each of our carry on bags, for a total of 4 sets. The reason for this is if an emergency happens in the air, you have no idea how long it will be until your plane can safely make an emergency landing. If a rebound reaction occurs, or multiple which has happened to Emma in the past, you need to be prepared with extra Epipens. Also, if a reaction happens on the plane or in the beginning of your trip, hopefully all will be well after the reaction and now you will still need Epipens for the rest of your trip. If you only take one set with you and you used it in the emergency, now you don’t have anything in case another reaction occurs. 

I hope these tips have helped you and answered some of your questions. Stay safe everyone!