If you have a food allergy and the thought of stepping onto a plane makes you anxious, you’re not alone. Air travel for allergic passengers has always been complicated, but a recent DOT ruling and inconsistent airline policies have made it even more unpredictable. On this episode of The Immune Edit, Dr. Doug Jones sits down with Lianne Mandelbaum, founder of No Nut Traveler (now a nonprofit) and airline correspondent for Allergic Living, to unpack what airlines aren’t telling you about food allergies at 35,000 feet.
Lianne’s journey into advocacy started with a painful moment. When her son Josh was 8 years old, he experienced bullying at Denver International Airport when kids threw peanuts at him. When United Airlines refused to make a simple announcement asking passengers not to bring peanuts on the flight, Lianne realized the system was broken. That incident sparked the creation of No Nut Traveler, and today, with Josh now 20 and playing tennis at Rice University, Lianne continues her tireless work pushing airlines and regulators to prioritize passenger safety.
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