A Delta Air Lines passenger says she has been left embarrassed and feeling as if she is to blame after she was booted off a flight from Los Angeles to Boston because she told the flight attendants that she has severe food allergies.
Ellie Brellis took to TikTok in sobs of tears on Monday after being ejected from the nonstop flight to the East Coast despite telling airline staffers that she was specifically traveling to Boston to see her doctor due to her allergies.
In a now-viral video that has been viewed more than 89,000 times on the popular social media app, Ellie struggles to get her words out as she explains how she was booted off the Delta plane after already taking her seat.
“I am currently at LAX, and that is the plane I was sitting on to go home so I could go and see my doctor tomorrow morning because I have really, really serious health issues right now,” Ellie says in the video. “I did all the things you’re supposed to do to advocate for myself so I could have a safe flight.”
After explaining that she recently experienced a mild anaphylactic shock, Ellie continued: “I felt really embarrassed, and I was just trying to make sure that didn’t happen today. And somehow, I just got kicked off the plane for having an allergy.”
“I was just trying to explain the situation to someone, and they cut me off. I don’t want to be this person, I don’t want to be crying, I just want to be on the flight home so I can see my doctor and figure out why this is happening.”
In a second video, Ellie explains: “So, just to be clear, I was literally on the plane, and they escorted me off. They are putting me on the red-eye, but it’s a full flight, so they’re putting me in an aisle seat, but they can’t guarantee my safety.”
“They have to call Medaire, and I have to talk to a doctor, and he has to determine whether I’m fit to fly.”
Medaire is a specialist medical service based in Phoenix, Arizona which is used by many airlines around the world to provide emergency inflight support during medical emergencies, as well as ‘fit to fly’ decisions on he ground.
The way in which airlines treat passengers with severe nut or food allergies is becoming an increasingly contentious issue, and policies can vary massively from one carrier to the next.
Although most airlines no longer serve peanuts due to allergy fears, the official allergy policy from the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) puts the onus on passengers rather than airlines.
In simple terms, IATA says that airlines cannot guarantee a nut or allergen-free environment and that control measures, such as providing buffer zones or suspending the service of certain types of food, are not always possible.
As a result, IATA says passengers should seek advice from their doctor before getting on a plane and should carry appropriate medication with them. This policy has been adopted by many airlines around the world.
Delta suggests passengers with severe allergies should contact the airline ahead of their flight “to ensure a seamless experience from beginning to end.”
Unlike many US carriers, the Atlanta-based airline allows passengers with serious allergies to board the plane early in order to wipe down their seat area. The carrier also says it will try to accommodate seat changes that might be required due to allergy concerns.
Last month, an Allegiant Air passenger traveling with her son, who suffers from a severe allergic reaction to certain types of nuts, claims the pair were removed from a flight to Tampa because a flight attendant did not want to miss out on earning commission for sales of snacks that contained nuts.
Crystal Shelton from Washington State filed a formal complaint with the Department of Transportation against the Nevada-based low-cost carrier, accusing Allegiant Air of discriminating against passengers with disabilities following the July 7 incident aboard flight 205.
Sounds completely reasonable for Delta to remove pending a decision from Medaire, given possible liability.
Let’s see, passenger sitting in the plane saying they’d just recently been in anaphylactic shock, have serious medical concerns and are flying for medical treatment… Yeah, needs to come off and talk to Medaire. I have a feeling she probably overshared and hyped up the likelihood of having a severe medical issue, versus just “I have an allergy.”
Ask and ye shall receive…
Unfortunately she shouldn’t have said anything. I bring nuts to snack on with me and there is nothing wrong with dong that.
I have some very severe food allergies (as in left restaurant on a stretcher; spent a few nights in ER after unknowingly being exposed) and am very careful myself, but some people have unreasonable expectations and these stories keep coming up:
You can’t have an allergic reaction to peanuts (or similar) via airborne contamination – this has been confirmed over and over and I have never found a single confirmed case over many decades. You need to actually consume them, even if trace amounts are sufficient.
So, it is unreasonable to ask other people to not serve/consume peanuts (or other nuts), ask for a “safe zone” etc. If you insist on it, despite the science saying otherwise, you probably shouldn’t use public transport…
Bring your medication (anti-histamine, epi pen). If you will potentially be exposed, take some anti-histamine preventively, clean the surfaces you are planning to eat from and bring your own food. Don’t eat the allergens, don’t touch them, don’t share plates/cutlery/glasses… Nobody else has to do anything for you to be safe.
It really is that simple…
Welp, she “advocated” for herself alright. This person is a nut and SHOULD have been kicked off.