SC at 30,000 feet

[mathnerd]

Yum! Thanks.

Yeah, the whole thing is pretty scary. I don't actually know what it looks like to watch somebody in anaphylaxis, as I've never seen anybody else having a reaction, and my last priority is finding a mirror when it's my own life at stake. I can imagine it's pretty disconcerting to see/hear though, which is one of the reasons I was so dumbfounded at the idiot's temper tantrum.

[RootedPhoenix]

I'm really glad you're okay! *hands you chocolate*

[dalesys]

... impossible to think of everything.

Achilles vs, Tortoise. Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid - Douglas Hofstadter

[mathnerd]

Justhere, the whole ice bin thing was something that I'd never even thought of, and I'm extremely careful with what I eat; sometimes to the point of being over the top about it. Sometimes something happens that makes you realize that it's pretty much impossible to think of everything.

[justhere]

That's a wonderful gesture. Flight attendants hear complaints far too often and compliments not often enough. It would do them good to see a thank you letter, and it would look good to the boss, too. I don't know if they'd be able to forward anything to the physicians, but maybe a Letter to the Editor of the local newspaper might work?

I'm glad you're okay, that must've been frightening. And that guy...I'd call him a jackass, but that would be insulting to the jackasses.

One of my kids has food allergies and one of the allergens we deal with is dairy - I'd never think of milk in an ice bin, but if it can happen with tomato juice, it can happen with milk, so this is something I will consider and share with others for future consideration.

Regarding thanking the flight attendants, when some of my coworkers received above the top customer service during a flight a few years ago, they also wanted to send a letter commending the flight attendants who helped them. In the end, they sent a letter to the in-flight magazine, with all the identifying info. It was published in the magazine and they were told by one of the flight attendants that a copy was placed in their files (they take that flight frequently enough they see the same flight attendants and captains frequently).

[XCashier]

I've been trying to track down an appropriate email or snail mail address to write a letter praising the flight crew for how they handled things. I'd also like to ask them to forward a letter of thanks to the physicians on board who helped out. I know they won't give me the contact information for those people, but I'm hoping they'll forward something.

That's a wonderful gesture. Flight attendants hear complaints far too often and compliments not often enough. It would do them good to see a thank you letter, and it would look good to the boss, too. I don't know if they'd be able to forward anything to the physicians, but maybe a Letter to the Editor of the local newspaper might work?

I'm glad you're okay, that must've been frightening. And that guy...I'd call him a jackass, but that would be insulting to the jackasses.

[Evannah]

I'm glad you're okay! Some people are just horrid individuals with no compassion for anyone but themselves. Never mind you could have died, he was in a worse dilemma because he couldn't get his tomato juice. I swear, some people...

[BeeMused]

BTW, if the flight crew told me they were going to shove me out at 30,000 feet, I'd question their knowledge of the plane's safety features - the first movement of a door being opened is INWARD, and the pressurization (needed for survival at that altitude, so they wouldn't be able to depressurize in order to open the door) puts it beyond human strength to open the door - not to mention that on many narrow-body aircraft the hinges are at the FRONT, so they'd have to swing it against the 500+ MPH slipstream.

Perhaps we should talk to Boing and Airbus about a special SC ejection door. An airlock would do the trick, just ask the NASA.

I'm glad you came out OK, Mathnerd.

[notalwaysright]

It's one thing if you don't know that you're going to be causing a problem by eating something that's going to trigger a reaction in a person nearby, but to insist on something after something like that has happened is just selfish.

And it seems like he was seated fairly close to you, so it's not like he was up in business or something. When I fly I feel like I hear everyone's conversation, feel everyone's cough or sneeze, smell everyone's food.

On a side note, I do pay attention when I bring food to work or a party. You know, stay away from nuts, try for a vegetarian dish or whatever seems relevant. I used to try to find something my friend with celiac could eat... Finally she told me that it was nice, but she's developed so many sensitivities that she brings her own meals.

[mathnerd]

They generally have small, chilled water bottles for first class. I don't fly first class, but I think asking ahead of time for something like that if the rest of the choices are 1-2l bottles wouldn't be too much to ask considering the circumstances.

[mhkohne]

It's one thing if you don't know that you're going to be causing a problem by eating something that's going to trigger a reaction in a person nearby, but to insist on something after something like that has happened is just selfish.

I'm usually extremely careful about what I eat, and carry a ton of rescue drugs with me at all times, but to be honest, a contaminated ice bin on a flight didn't even occur to me. It never dawned on me that they might have tomato juice on board, but it makes sense that they would, now that I think about it. In the future, I'm going to ask the airlines (prior to boarding) if I can be provided with a factory sealed water/soda instead of having it poured into a cup over ice. I'm pretty sure this particular airline will be more than happy to accommodate that request in the future, given they now have experience with what happens if I get exposed, and I'm pretty sure that it's not an unreasonable request to make of other airlines.

The wierd thing is that tomato juice actually tastes different at altitude: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/...278032761.html

which is why people drink so much of it in the air. Totally bizzare.

I'm sure most any airline will be happy to provide sealed cans, though I don't know if they'll be cold or not. Also would depend on them having cans - I seem to remember seeing 2 litres n a recent flight, but that could be a memory trick.

[mathnerd]

It's one thing if you don't know that you're going to be causing a problem by eating something that's going to trigger a reaction in a person nearby, but to insist on something after something like that has happened is just selfish.

I'm usually extremely careful about what I eat, and carry a ton of rescue drugs with me at all times, but to be honest, a contaminated ice bin on a flight didn't even occur to me. It never dawned on me that they might have tomato juice on board, but it makes sense that they would, now that I think about it. In the future, I'm going to ask the airlines (prior to boarding) if I can be provided with a factory sealed water/soda instead of having it poured into a cup over ice. I'm pretty sure this particular airline will be more than happy to accommodate that request in the future, given they now have experience with what happens if I get exposed, and I'm pretty sure that it's not an unreasonable request to make of other airlines.

[notalwaysright]

I'm growing more and more concerned that one day when I see a SC throwing a tantrum over something stupid, like not getting tomato juice, I'm going to start mimicking a toddler. Just start loudly saying, "But I wan it I wan it I wan it! Now now now now!"

Some time ago when I was at the community college, we were in one of those nice stadium style lecture rooms and a guy just abruptly got up and ran out, leaving all his stuff... Turns out he was very allergic to peanuts, and the person behind him started eating a Payday (a candy bar made of almost entirely peanuts), and the guy started having a reaction just from being nearby. The teacher made an announcement, from then on, no food period. I have no known allergies, and nobody in my direct family does either, so it's not on my mind too much. But I can't imagine insisting on eating say, peanuts, DIRECTLY after someone has a reaction to them. Can you say self-absorbed?

[mathnerd]

He was indeed. You'd think after hearing somebody gasping for breath for the 5-7 minutes he'd have been a little bit more understanding. (guessing on the time here...I gave my self the first epipen, waited for a few minutes and didn't get any relief so gave myself the second one, which cleared things up fairly quickly, then took a couple puffs of my inhaler and took benydryll, in an effort to ward off a rebound reaction).

But no, apparently all that mattered was he couldn't get his precious tomato juice. Some people should never be allowed out in public.

[Mr Hero]

Was the guy in the row in front of you there the whole time you were having a reaction? You'd think those immediately near you would be most understanding why they aren't serving tomato juice the remainder of the flight. What a douche!