Minnesota family says Delta crew refused their nut allergy request

Family claims Delta mocked allergy request

A Minnesota family says they felt embarrassed and mocked when a Delta Air Lines crew refused their request not to serve tree nuts on the plane to protect their young daughter, who has a life-threatening allergy.

(FOX 9) - Earlier this week, the Knochenmus family wrapped up their holiday vacation at Disneyworld - "The Most Magical Place on Earth."

Getting ready to board their Delta Airlines flight from Orlando back to MSP International on Monday, parents Steven and Gina were prepared to take some extra precautions. Their 8-year-old daughter, Olivia, has a severe tree nut allergy. This includes nuts like cashews, almonds, and pistachios.

The family says they notified the airline of their daughter's allergy when booking the flight and went over things with workers when they arrived. But shortly before boarding, things took a turn.

"The gate attendant let us know that the flight crew was unwilling to accommodate our request," said Steven.

"[A manager said] the policy is that they are obligated to pass out pistachios on their flights and they would not pass them out in our row...but everyone else, they would be passing them out to if they wanted them," added Gina.

They were armed with an EpiPen, but the medication was not a silver bullet.

"When you use an EpiPen, the next step is to call an ambulance and go to a hospital which is impossible mid-flight. We don't know if Olivia has an airborne allergy, and we don't want to find out," said Gina.

After nearly an hour of back and forth, the family ultimately decided to get on the flight, but says they were treated like criminals for simply trying to protect their daughter's health.

They recognize there are no guarantees when it comes to what other passengers eat on board, but expect the airline to prioritize safety.

"Safety is your primary concern for every passenger...so they say," said Steven.

Fox 9 reached out to Delta Airlines and a representative told us in an e-mailed statement that they have been in touch with the contact with the customer and are investigating the situation.

The airline's policy states their staff will refrain from serving peanut products if someone on board has a peanut allergy, but they can't guarantee an allergen-free flight.