4/23/2023 I
I have a dairy allergy—not life-threatening, usually if I consume milk, I suffer from vomiting and diarrhea for over 12 hours. I was flying Emirates Airlines from Bangkok to Glasgow via Dubai and took careful steps to protect myself.
Since Emirates’ website stated that their vegan meal did not contain any dairy, I pre-ordered it—even though I normally eat meat—because the only other “allergy” meal option was low-lactose, which wouldn’t help me. I’m allergic to milk proteins, not just lactose.
On the flight from Dubai, I was given a meal labeled as strictly vegan, in English. It came with a yogurt. Trusting the label, I assumed the yogurt was plant-based. But shortly after eating it, I realized it didn’t taste like a dairy alternative—it was cow’s milk yogurt. I became violently ill and spent the next 7 hours of the long-haul flight vomiting and dealing with gastrointestinal distress in the airplane bathroom.
When I later reported the incident, Emirates told me I should have brought my own food. But they clearly advertised a dairy-free vegan meal. I had no reason to question that a meal labeled “strictly vegan” would contain yogurt made from cow’s milk.
They shifted all the blame onto me, despite the fact that passengers are not allowed to bring liquids or pastes over 100ml through security, and many countries prohibit travelers from bringing certain foods through customs on connecting flights. It’s not always practical—or even possible—to self-cater across international travel.
What frustrates me most is the double standard. Airlines accommodate religious dietary needs without question, and rightly so. Yet, when it comes to medically necessary food accommodations like allergies, we’re told it’s our problem. Why is one need considered valid, and the other treated as an inconvenience?
This wasn’t just a mistake. It was a preventable, harmful oversight that left me sick and helpless midair—and then blamed for it.
NOTE: With regard to meals, No Nut Traveler recommends bringing your own food- https://www.allergicliving.com/2023/12/21/the-trouble-with-airline-meals-and-food-allergies
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