American Airlines' Allergy Policy Under Fire

(RTTNews) - An advocacy group has filed a federal complaint against American Airlines as the carrier does not allow passengers with food allergies, especially peanut allergies, to preboard its flights.

According to Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), American Airlines, unlike United and Delta, is not willing to help people with nut allergies to preboard their flight.

"The Air Carrier [Access] Act says anyone with any type of disability can preboard to stabilize themselves on the aircraft before general boarding starts," said Dr. James Baker, CEO and chief medical officer of Food Allergy Research and Education, a nonprofit advocacy group. "We aren't asking them not to serve nuts or restrict people from serving any type of food. All we want them to do is simply to remove the pre-boarding restriction for people with food allergies."

"A disability is defined as a substantial impairment to a major life activity (such as breathing or eating)," said FARE's complaint.

Pre-boarding a flight allows an allergic person to take necessary precautions to guard against potentially dangerous exposure to allergens by wiping down seating areas, tray tables and armrests.

Meanwhile, American Airlines does not serves peanuts on its flights.