TSA reply to taking food for medical reasons question

Take your printed response with you.

If you get the TSA agent on a power trip... ask for his/her supervisor. Then ask for thier "medical qualifications" (which of course they don't have) Then please note the name and location of your "power trip" agent and consider notifying your elected offical about the training of your agent.

Honestly, I don't think we should have to travel with the documents on how they do thier jobs but lots of Frequent Flyers do carry print outs of relevant things off the TSA.gov pages with us..:(

I didn't realize that peanut butter is not allowed. Several times I have taken those little sealed packets with my in my liquids and gels baggie--along with whole grain Ryvita in my carry-on--for a healthy snack in my hotel room. Never had it questioned, but I guess I've just been lucky.

" If you get the TSA agent on a power trip... ask for his/her supervisor. Then ask for thier "medical qualifications" (which of course they don't have) Then please note the name and location of your "power trip" agent and consider notifying your elected offical about the training of your agent. "

Carol, do you travel much? This sounds guaranteed to keep the traveler off of any flight. The TSA folks do not answer to anyone.

My peanut butter post on the other airport security thread referred to my beloved jar of almond butter that I lost while going to Hawaii (sniff).

I actually did not know that there were 1.5 oz packets of peanut butter. That's awesome and I imagine (like the other posts said) that as long as it's under 3 oz and packed like a gel, it should be fine.

I'll have to look for those next time I travel.

OK not that I would ever do this, but if you're in a diner or one of those Holiday Inn type hotels with the free breakfast buffet, they often have packets of peanut butter just like the packets of jelly and jam. An unscrupulous person would just liberate a few and slip them into a pocket. A more upright sort would take them for her toast, eat the toast dry, and pocket them.

Please, no lectures needed here. If you wouldn't do it, fine for you. Me, I don't take a second cup of coffee...and I consider it square.

You do know you can get peanut butter in many places in Europe,, and why not try Nutella, even better.

Personally I think one should avoid taking peanut butter on the plane, its kind to consider those with severe peanut allergies. Just like you wouldn't wear perfume ..

The packets that I have are from Peanut Butter & Co. I bought them at Walmart, but you can order them online if you can't find them locally. They also have a chocolate peanut butter, which is like Nutella, but not as sweet. http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/

The peanut butter is for the flight. I am Celiac and can't eat the regular meal provided by the airline. I have ordered the gluten free meal, but it is not guaranteed that it will be there. Most celiacs take a few things along, just in case.

As for not taking peanut butter because of allergies - anaphylaxis would be a result of either direct contact with the peanut butter or peanut dust caused by opening a bag of peanuts. My eating a sandwich on the plane wouldn't cause a reaction. I of course would be considerate of someone in my row, but luckily that will just be my son. :)

OMG, reading this thread made me go to the TSA website, to see whether peanut butter is truly on the no-no list, and, indeed, it is on the list of items not allowed as a carry-on, click here to see that list, PB is the 3rd item on the bulleted list. (correction added May 6 in response to a subsequent post: PB would be allowed if in a packet less than 3 oz)

This is devastating news to us peanut butter lovers. And just when we thought air travel couldn't get any worse.

As the OP found, peanut butter is apparently okay as a carry-on if it's medically necessary. Now we just have to figure out how to get our doctors to write a prescription for peanut butter.:)

I travel weekly.

I will not put up with poor behavior by the TSA. I pay thier salary, something they seem not to realize. 99.9% of them are fine (if useless LOL!) but then you get "I AM A JERK" I came to the decision after watching a TSA agent SCREAM at a Sr. Citizen "GET YOUR FAT XXX OUT OF THAT WHEELCHAIR YOU LAZY XXXX" Found thier supervisor and filed a complaint then and there. They kept saying "you will miss your plane" I said FINE! (Didn't miss the plane either) Actually had other folks who waited with me to complain about the jerk. His fellow agents... they told me "he can do whatever he wants"> WHAT?????

I will not let them abuse me. Medical needs do NOT require a prescription. Once again, they are NOT medical professionals (or really even security professionals, but that's another entire issue) I use THIER documentation to support my rights and I complain to both thier supervisors and my elected officals when I get "JERK"

It's sad that the passengers often have to train the TSA, but for those of us who travel weekly, it's a fact of life.

If the "ban" was really a "ban" maybe it would be effective. But as long as airline employees and airport employees can bring anything they want through the scanners.... what's the point. (Let me remind you that one of the original liquid "bomb" plotters was an airport employee... LOL!)

Carol (above post): Yes! We have to fight for our rights! Peanut butter is worth fighting for.:)

ummm.... don't they serve peanuts on airlines...don't think it's an allergy issues.. oh and BTW... I had two peanut butter packs in my backpack on my last trip, I had no problem getting them through security. I am convince Airlines really don't want us to eat so they can have comatose passengers that are spacey due to low blood sugar.

Kelly ,, actually it is an allergy issue.
A person with a severe peanut allergy can have a reaction because you got a smear of peanut butter on your fold down table,, and then its not cleaned off properly ( no surpirse there) and they touch it.. they can also touch it becuase your child ate a peanut butter sandwich and you sent him off to washroom to wash up,, his hands are sticky with it,, next person to touch door nob ,, could be that allergic person. Its just too much hassle for airlines to worry about a person having a reaction at 3,000 feet.

I know people have a hard time believing a peanut allergy can be that severe. It is true though,, it can kill them in minutes.

A celiac may( will) get ill from eating any gluten some even as little as one single crouton, ,, but death is not an known reaction to a single ingestation. Peanut allergy is possibly the worst known food allergy.

If there is an issue with "peanuts" you may be told over the announcement system or you may figure it out when the free snacks don't include "peanuts". If the snacks include peanuts I wouldn't worry about your peanut butter.

I have had Flight Attendants make annoucments if there was someone with a severe allergy on board.

Some people on a celiac message board have suggested that I get a letter from my Dr. explaining why I need food, but according to the TSA I am not required to explain why a particular food or medication is needed, only that it is needed.

I don't doubt peanut allergies at all. I just have a very un-pc stance on the issue. I have known many peanut allergic children in our homeschool groups over the years. But I have learned from speaking to the parents that most of them have taught their children to be diligent about the issue.

I am a very sensitive celiac. I have been glutened by eating vegetables cut on a cutting board that had been used to cut bread the day before. If the guy in my seat before me eats a sandwich and gets crumbs on the tray, I could come in to contact with them and accidentally ingest them. Does that mean all gluten should be removed from the plane? No. It means that I need to be careful and mindful of my surroundings.

It is a very slippery slope when we start restricting what we can and can not do based on the medical needs of others. If you are going to ask for no peanuts on an airplane, I am going to ask for no gluten because the threat to me is just as real as the threat to someone with a peanut allergy.

I guess what I am not-so-eloquently trying to say is that if someone doesn't take responsibility for their health and ask for a peanut free flight and announcement, I am not going to worry about it. If an announcement is made, I won't eat my peanut butter, but if not, I will happily munch away.

Of course, I am holding out hope that SAS gets my GF meal right, and I won't have to dig in to my stash of food.

Krista,, there are many foods a celiac person can eat. And since the only restricted items on planes are liquids( or gels) an fresh fruit or veggies,, I really this this is an non issue thread.

Just take your rice crackers, and other gluten free snacks,, no one will care, since any dried packaged foods are fine, cereals, cookies, chips etc etc. You do not need a note from a doctor for dried products,, and I doubt any doctor will insist that medically you must have peanut butter ( you can have many other protien sources) , so really just get the PB in the correct size for liquid carry on and put it in the baggie and you will be fine.

And BTW,, no one has ever accused me of being too "pc",, but I can be rather po'd when people get flip about other people suffering from possibly death resulting allergic reactions, ,, especially kids. Munch away Krista,, your need for a favorite snack food certainly is important, but definately not required by your Celiac .

Oh Pat, I am not going to argue with you. I really hope that isn't what you were hoping for.

I simply came here to share information about a topic that has been mentioned here before. I am sorry that my information upset you so much but I can assure you that wasn't my intention.

I can also assure you that I am not flip about the health issues of others. I just choose to make my decisions based on facts (for example, the fact that tests have been done that say that most airplanes have peanut dust in the ventilation system and they circulate peanut tainted air throughout the plane) and not on hype.

Have a good trip, Pat. I know I am looking forward to mine!

peanut butter is truly on the no-no list, and, indeed, it is on the list of items not allowed as a carry-on, click here to see that list, PB is the 3rd item on the bulleted list. <<

The items on the list are "liquids" - any of them is acceptable in containers under 3 oz that fit in a quart ziplock (except for liquor, but that's an FAA/airline rule and not a TSA rule).

Hi Krista. I am also a celiac. I always fly with some protein bars (I taste test them before hand, Rice cakes or rice crackers, and sometimes GF granola bars. I have taken almonds in a small ziplock bag too. On one flight that was code-shared with the initial airline I booked on, they did not have a GF meal for me. They rustled up a bunch of cheese packets and salads; since I had crackers, I was fine. I usually brought enough protein bars for the flight back too and picked up some GF crackers during my stay for the trip back too. I usually google some natural or Bio stores at my destination so I can pick up more GF supplies during my trip. Sometimes I bring fresh or dried fruit on the plane, knowing that I have to eat it on the flight or throw it away before arriving in a foreign country. All airplane food tastes terrible so it is nice to have something I like along. Have a great trip.

I am flying Scandinavian Airlines, so I am hoping that they get the GF meal right. (For those of you who don't know, Scandinavia has a large amount of celiacs.) I have heard some bad reports of things like a helpful flight attendant tossing a roll on your GF tray, changing planes at the last minute and the GF meal not following you, and even read of a gf meal being nothing more than 2 pieces of fruit.

I am a little worried, because if I get sick if I don't eat for long periods, so I am taking back up.

I am glad to hear that fresh fruit is allowed. I was planning to take some dried with me, but would rather have fresh. I am also planning to take a few packets of GF instant oatmeal, some corn thins (like rice cakes but made of corn and very thin so they don't crumble when you eat them), the peanut butter to smear on the corn thins, and a few pieces of candy.

We are spending 3 months in Wolfsburg, Germany. The Reformhaus is a 2 minute walk from our apartment. After reading about all of the cool GF things available in Germany (ciabatta bread!!), I can't wait!