Going on a plane ride when you have a food allergy is quite daunting.  As the plane starts to lift off the ground, all those “What if…?!” questions start to circle your head.  What if I have a reaction thousands of feet above the ground (or rather, the nearest hospital)?  So here are a few tips to keep you a little safer when you fly.

1) Tell an attendant associated with your flight about your allergy.  Ask them if they would be willing to make an announcement on the plane before takeoff and ask people to refrain from eating your allergen.

2) Ask if you can board the plane early and if someone could wipe down your seat in case the person sitting there before you ate your allergen.  I recommend supervising this to make sure they are thorough.

3) Ask the flight attendants if they could avoid serving your allergen on the plane.  (I usually request that they do not serve those packaged peanuts, but I don’t worry so much about the products that may contain nuts.)

4) Pack your own food.  If your flight is short, bring a snack food that you eat often.  If your flight is longer, get takeout from a restaurant at which you eat often.  Chipotle is my go-to restaurant for traveling because none of their food contains my allergens.

Have a nice flight and safe travels!