Leah Williams, a 27-year-old airline passenger with a severe nut allergy, took extreme measures to protect herself during a flight from Dusseldorf, Germany to London‘s Heathrow Airport, Insider reported.
Due to her vulnerability to anaphylactic shock, Williams had experienced a previous allergic reaction when a pack of peanuts was opened near her during a flight. Determined not to repeat the incident, she decided to purchase all available packs of peanuts on her return flight.
“I said, ‘I’ll buy them all so you can’t serve them. I don’t care how much it is. If you’re not willing to help me this is the only thing I can do,'”
she told Insider.
Despite having received cooperation from the cabin crew on her earlier flight from London to Dusseldorf, who made an announcement and refrained from serving nuts, Williams faced resistance when she requested the same accommodations on her return flight. A flight attendant, seemingly dismissive of her concerns, refused to make an announcement, citing airline policy.
Feeling frustrated and concerned for her safety, Williams made a bold choice. She decided to buy every pack of peanuts on the flight, preventing their distribution. The flight attendants counted the 48 packs to ensure the correct payment, which amounted to 168 euros (approximately $185).
“The worst thing was they actually asked if I wanted to take the peanuts, and I said obviously not,”
Williams said.
While many airlines choose not to serve or sell peanuts on flights, Eurowings, the airline Williams flew with, does not clarify its snack offerings on its website. It states that it cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment due to passengers’ ability to bring their own food onboard.
Williams has since reached out to Eurowings, seeking a refund and urging the airline to reconsider its policy on selling peanuts. She has yet to receive a response. However, a Eurowings representative told Insider,
“We are very sorry that the flight with us did not go as smoothly as desired and we regret any inconvenience this has caused Leah Williams.”
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
