The airline refused to make the announcement - even though it meant the difference between life and death.

A peanut-allergic boy and his family have been banned from boarding an American Airlines flight, all because they had the audacity to ask for an announcement asking passengers not to consume nuts on the flight.

Their treatment by the airline and the airline’s inadequate apology has highlighted once again how society’s attitudes to life-threatening food allergies need to change, and quickly.

11-year-old Daniel Levitan and his family – mother Judith, father Howard and brother Joel – were preparing to board an American Airline’s flight from Florida in the US to their home in Hertfordshire in the UK when his mum, Judith, asked staff to make the announcement.

Judith and Daniel. Image via Facebook.  

Daniel’s allergy to peanuts is so severe that he can have a reaction just sitting in the same vicinity as someone consuming nuts, particularly on an airplane where passengers are forced to share and breathe the same, recycled air.

When exposed to peanuts, Daniel’s throat can close up and he can have difficulty breathing. If not treated he can die in minutes.

However staff refused the request, demanding the family produce a ‘fit to fly’ certificate, even though these are only used in situations where passengers are ill.

Daniel’s mother Judith told the Daily Mail, “A pilot even came out and said he had no problem making an announcement. But the woman at the gate and the head office wouldn’t have any of it. They cancelled our tickets and we were driven to a hotel. Daniel was left mortified and embarrassed from being made a spectacle of and he thought he’d ruined the holiday.”

The Levitan family were forced to spend an extra two nights in the US and during that time they had to try and arrange for a subsequent flight before they could head home.

The worst part is that they had discussed the situation with British Airways – who arranged the flights with American Airlines – before leaving for their holiday. They were told that all they needed to do was let airline staff know, which is what they did on the way to the US. Staff on that flight accommodated them, although reluctantly with one member of the cabin crew allegedly saying, “Americans have a right to eat nuts”.

Yeah, well Daniel has a right not to die on your airplane.

The Levitan family. Image via Facebook.  

Life-threatening food allergies are still treated like an inconvenience by some. If Daniel was suffering from a condition that traditionally provokes sympathy from others, I have no doubt that he would have been cared for properly.

However the first sin of food allergies is that they are invisible. The second sin of food allergies is that the care and treatment of sufferers sometimes involves food restrictions.

And you don’t want to mess with people and their food, particularly Americans and their nuts, apparently.

We all share a duty of care to ensure that our behaviours don’t harm others, don’t we? It’s the same reason we restrict smoking and educate families about vaccinations. It’s the same reason we have laws governing road use and seatbelts.

You don’t want to mess with people and their food, particularly Americans and their nuts apparently.

When the Levitan family did manage to get a flight home, a passenger opened up a packet of nuts and Daniel had a panic attack and started hyperventilating.

“He was crying and panicking and I’ve never seen him like that,” Judith told the Daily Mail.

“We had to ask other passengers not to eat nuts ourselves and they couldn’t believe it when they said American Airlines wouldn’t make an announcement.”

The family has made a formal complaint and here is the ‘apology’ they received from American Airlines.

“We are sorry that the Levitan family experienced disruptions to their travel plans.”

Why you should never, ever, ever share antibiotics.

How completely offensive and inadequate.

I have been an allergy mum for ten years and I’m sick and tired of having to defend my son’s condition to others and I’m particularly sick of those in positions of power putting his life in danger when keeping him safe is so simple.

What American Airlines staff failed to consider was how bad it would have been for them if Daniel had suffered a reaction. They would have had to land so he could receive urgent medical treatment, despite the fact that his family had his life-saving medication with them, because that’s how deadly food allergies are.

“I’m particularly sick of those in positions of power putting his life in danger when keeping him safe is so simple.”

Even if the staff in question didn’t have a compassionate bone in their bodies, they should have at least considered the bad publicity, right?

The American Airlines staff involved should be ashamed of themselves. I just hope they never know the agony of having a deadly food allergy, the embarrassment of trying to keep themselves safe from one and the humiliation of knowing they are looked down on by others.

For more information on food allergies visit triggerallergy.com and allergyfacts.org.