SASKATOON – For those living with a severe allergy, any public outing could be life threatening. For 14-year-old Luke Sullivan, the possibility of going into anaphylactic shock while on an airplane was almost enough to keep him from flying.
READ MORE: Canadian teen to PM: remove peanuts and tree nuts from airplanes
He decided to harness his fear to bring change, starting an online petition aimed at the prime minister of Canada.
The petition reads: “I often ask myself this: Why is it so important to have peanuts on planes knowing that it is a well-known, fatally allergenic food? Why can’t travellers consume this later? If I ran an airline I would do everything in my power to make sure every single person was safe and comfortable, especially if it was a child. It only makes sense. If a person dies on your plane for lack of a policy you could have implemented that cost you nothing, how is that publicity?”
Watch below: 14-year-old Ontario teen fighting to make the skies peanut and nut-free
Right now there is no universal policy for all airlines. Some create buffer zones, some will also make an announcement, but there are still airlines that serve products containing peanuts and tree nuts, and customers bring their own.
Get daily National news
The Canadian Transportation Agency is examining the risks to air travellers with potentially life-threatening allergies, and will provide the minister of transport with their findings next spring.
What do you think? Should peanuts and nuts be banned from all airlines?
Be sure to comment with your thoughts and watch Global Saskatoon Morning News at 7:55 a.m. CT to see if we pull up your comment.
Comments