Delta Airlines No Longer Offers Gluten Free Meals

[floridanative]

When I called Delta to order a gluten-free meal for a flight next month, they told me they don't have gluten-free meals anymore. They offered a vegatarian or diabetic option (no idea what that would be). After being on hold FOREVER the woman came back to tell me they can't tell me what's in their diabetic or vegetarian meals but I could contact gategourmet.com myself and see if they can help. Well I e-mailed that company but have not heard back in three days. I'll try again Monday. I asked the Delta rep. since they could not feed me on an 8 hour flight (two meals being served) if I could get a discount on the ticket. She said no. I thought it was funny but she wasn't amused.

[plantime]

Are you a US citizen with a doctor's diagnosis? They have to accomodate your needs, no excuses accepted. They do not have to give you a discount if you have to bring your own food, but you'd think they would. I am so glad I do not fly!

[lpellegr]

I doubt I'd trust their gluten-free meal anyway. Bring some backup food whenever you travel, no matter what they offer you.

[floridanative]

Yes I am a biopsy dx's US citizen but life is too short to beg for a meal, that from what I heard used to include a rice cake which contained barley.... I already knew I had to take my own food on the plane both ways, and a lot more food for the actual vacation to boot. But I figured if I ordered the gluten free meal from the airline, there may be something (even if just fruit) that I could eat. After all, I'm paying plenty for a transatlantic flight.

And the problem with not flying is that you really can't explore the world without it. Well I guess you could go by boat but that takes too long and would cost a fortune.

[codetalker]

Are you a US citizen with a doctor's diagnosis? They have to accomodate your needs, no excuses accepted. They do not have to give you a discount if you have to bring your own food, but you'd think they would. I am so glad I do not fly!

I was on Delta yesterday and they accomodated the needs of someone with a peanut allergy. They announced that someone in a particular row had a peanut allergy and no peanuts would be served three rows in either direction. Once that was announced, someone in the back of the plane piped up and there was a peanut ban there as well. My seat was in a banned area so the one snack they offered that was gluten-free was no longer available. That was not a problem since I always bring my own snacks.

[plantime]

No peanuts in three rows either direction? That is ridiculous! Just don't serve peanuts to the person with the allergy! I have multiple food allergies, and I would never think of telling someone they can't have something just because I can't!

[floridanative]

Wow - that is utterly ridiculous and unbelievalbe! Looks like I need to find a new favorite airline.

[penguin]

I know that people with an anaphalactic allergy to peanuts can't be in the same room as them, but honestly, if I had such a severe allergy, that would keep me from flying. If they have to accomodate peanut allergies, they have to accomodate every other allergy as well.

I think people with dogs and cat's should have to wear a hazmat suit on planes so that other people allergic to animals aren't exposed to hair and dander on people's clothes on the plane

They won't even let people with oxygen tanks on board anymore.

It's a lawsuit waiting to happen, one of these days a Celiac is going to get pissed enough about it. We're just used to society not accomodating gluten intolerances, so we don't mind having to brown bag it. Of couse, we also know that airline food sucks anyway.

[VydorScope]

No peanuts in three rows either direction? That is ridiculous! Just don't serve peanuts to the person with the allergy! I have multiple food allergies, and I would never think of telling someone they can't have something just because I can't!

Yea, but will you DIE from one TRACE exsposure form your alergy or gluten? Sorry but peanuts is a whole nother ball game. Frankly if I owned an airline, I would ban all nuts of any kind. The risk is just to high.

[Rusla]

Well if you consider that some people who have Celiac have a wheat allergy they could die from exposure to it, just like any other allergy. Each allergy is different in each person. Some have minor nut allergies and some are severe.

[plantime]

As a matter of fact, Vincent, yes: RICE!! Does that mean that no one on the plane can eat rice when I am on board? If the allergic person is that sensitive, that they cannot even be in the same room, then that person needs to stay home all the time, just to remain alive!

[VydorScope]

As a matter of fact, Vincent, yes: RICE!! Does that mean that no one on the plane can eat rice when I am on board? If the allergic person is that sensitive, that they cannot even be in the same room, then that person needs to stay home all the time, just to remain alive!

Not heard that connected to rice. My SIL is alreigc to rice, but her symtons are mild enough that she refuses to aviod it like she should. Corn too actually

[Guest Sibewill]

I just returned from Holland yesterday and flew Delta. When I did not eat, a flight attendant asked me why. I explained the allergy and how Delta no longer serves gluten-free. She suggested that next time when I call ahead that I ask for the "fruit plate/meal", as that would be safe to eat and possibly even help absorb some of the in-flight bourbon. In my experiences Delta's flight and terminal staff are always great, it is the phone-center folk who have attitudes and don't want to help. Maybe they intentionally hire the most anti-social people they can find so as to discourage people from calling and end up using online only... that would save them money that they could then put towards lobbying for another government bailout...

sibewill

[luvs2eat]

There's an airline that still serves a meal at all??? I always fly w/ my own food.

[francelajoie]

I thought they couldn't serve peanuts on planes anymore. Last time a flew (Air Canada), I asked for peanuts and she said they don't carry them because of severe allergies.

[plantime]

Not heard that connected to rice. My SIL is alreigc to rice, but her symtons are mild enough that she refuses to aviod it like she should. Corn too actually

Last time I ate rice, I had two rice crackers, and wound up in the ER. I was not thrilled!

[floridanative]

[

quote name='Sibewill' date='Apr 4 2006, 01:00 PM' post='122761]

I just returned from Holland yesterday and flew Delta. When I did not eat, a flight attendant asked me why. I explained the allergy and how Delta no longer serves gluten-free. She suggested that next time when I call ahead that I ask for the "fruit plate/meal", as that would be safe to eat and possibly even help absorb some of the in-flight bourbon.

Thanks and I will see if they offer the fruit plate as they would only offer me the diabetic or vegetarian meal and gategourmet.com (supplies all of Delta's food now) was kind enough to ignore both my e-mails regarding what those meals have in them.

[VydorScope]

Last time I ate rice, I had two rice crackers, and wound up in the ER. I was not thrilled!

Well then I forbid you to ever eat rice again!!!! My SIL is so cavaliar about it, I kind got the wrong impression it seems!

[em2005]

Hi there,

I flew with Delta about 2 weeks ago... I had ordered a gluten-free meal when I bought my tickets and they even had the "special meal" label on my ticket. When it came time to eat, the airline people asked me to choose a meal, as they always do. Apparently, my gluten-free order had not gone through as they weren't even aware I had a special meal pre-ordered. When I asked for gluten-free, I had to repeat myself several times (me: "Gluten-FREE". them: "What?". me: "Gluten-FREE...no wheat/barley/rye... I'm allergic to it." them: "Gluten what? I've never heard of that.") After checking the back to see what they had, the lady came back and told me that they had diabetic meals left. Hmm...gee... no thanks. They ended up giving me...A BUN and some fruit!!

It was the same coming back...they didn't even know what I was talking about even though I had to explain it several times. I ended up going with the regular breakfast meal, and it had gluten-free options (fruit, egg, yogurt) so I ate the fruit and yogurt.

blah!!!

[loken23]

How can they no longer offer gluten-free-meals and still offer vegetarian and diabetic meals? Are some allergies/"choices of life" more important than others? What a sad way to save a few bucks and at the same time making us feel even more different than we already feel.

Somehow flying has felt good to me because airlines has taken a responsibility and accepted our food allergy seriously. Lawsuit sounds good in my ears ;-)

/Dan

PS. Cathay pacific is nr 1 on my airline list after getting served amazing gluten-free-food on my way to Hong Kong.

[Franceen]

When I called Delta to order a gluten-free meal for a flight next month, they told me they don't have gluten-free meals anymore. They offered a vegatarian or diabetic option (no idea what that would be). After being on hold FOREVER the woman came back to tell me they can't tell me what's in their diabetic or vegetarian meals but I could contact gategourmet.com myself and see if they can help. Well I e-mailed that company but have not heard back in three days. I'll try again Monday. I asked the Delta rep. since they could not feed me on an 8 hour flight (two meals being served) if I could get a discount on the ticket. She said no. I thought it was funny but she wasn't amused.

United Airlines offers Gluten Free on overseas flights and in premium class. On shorter than 5 hr flights you have to be in Business/First to get one though. The food-for-sale in economy on other flights is full of Gluten and not "substitutable" at all.

On long flights over 8 hours, I haven't been on one yet, since gluten-free. But I suspect they do it. You can request this on the web if you are a Mileage Plus member. When you call they give you a big "huh?" Seems they've recently added gluten-free in the past several months and it's not on the printed stuff the phone attendants look at.

I have had about 5 gluten-free meals on United and they were good and appeared to be really gluten-free. However, the flight attendent still tries to serve you bread on the side and a cookie with the ice cream (Haagen Dass Vanilla, which is supposedly gluten-free).

[ms-sillyak-screwed]

Guess what?

One of the most unhealthy thing a person can do is eat in thin air while flying. I owned a plane and when I was single I only dated pilots. It is a known fact it's not good to eat when in-flight. The reason is the air is thinner up there and makes your body overwork itself to digest. It slows everything down. Think of how you feel when you have 2 martini's in NYC at a bar, and, what 2 martini's feels like first class at 30,000 feet? And what you feel like when you land. ??? You get drunker faster... think about it.

What they tell you to do is eat before you fly. Have a meal perhaps 30 minutes or and hour before you leave... If you have to eat, eat light snack only. And only drink water in flight, as much as you can drink. It's much better for you.

[Katie O'Rourke]

Does anyone know of any airlines at all that do gluten-free meals? I am coeliac, and am planning to go on holiday to Disney World, Florida next year, and obviously becuase of how far I am travelling, and I will be staying there a few weeks, I will need to keep any bread/snacks for when I am there. It's a package holiday and I wont be driving,as I wont be old enough to drive over there, so cannot just drive to gluten-free shops at my own convenience. I ahve already heard the restaurants there are really good, but am unsure about the flights. It's 9 hours. I've onyl been diagnosed for two years, whileI was still a teenager,and am still a bit uncertain about foods. I rang Virgin and they said they do gluten-free meals all the time, but she told me to bring my own food as well. She didnt sound very convincing. Does anyone know about any other airlines at all?

[penguin]

Does anyone know of any airlines at all that do gluten-free meals? I am coeliac, and am planning to go on holiday to Disney World, Florida next year, and obviously becuase of how far I am travelling, and I will be staying there a few weeks, I will need to keep any bread/snacks for when I am there. It's a package holiday and I wont be driving,as I wont be old enough to drive over there, so cannot just drive to gluten-free shops at my own convenience. I ahve already heard the restaurants there are really good, but am unsure about the flights. It's 9 hours. I've onyl been diagnosed for two years, whileI was still a teenager,and am still a bit uncertain about foods. I rang Virgin and they said they do gluten-free meals all the time, but she told me to bring my own food as well. She didnt sound very convincing. Does anyone know about any other airlines at all?

Personally, I would trust Virgin with my life. They have the best customer service of any airline, IMO. The clerk probably told you to bring your own food as well because there are a lot of channels your request has to go through, and there is human error involved and she doesn't want you to starve. Or if you're intolerant to other things. It's always a good idea to bring your own food travelling, if you're celiac or not. The American based airlines suck.

Also, contact Disney World and tell them your situation, so you'll be able to eat in the park. If you do a search on the forum here, you'll find a lot of information.

[Katie O'Rourke]

Personally, I would trust Virgin with my life. They have the best customer service of any airline, IMO. The clerk probably told you to bring your own food as well because there are a lot of channels your request has to go through, and there is human error involved and she doesn't want you to starve. Or if you're intolerant to other things. It's always a good idea to bring your own food travelling, if you're celiac or not. The American based airlines suck.

Also, contact Disney World and tell them your situation, so you'll be able to eat in the park. If you do a search on the forum here, you'll find a lot of information.

thank you very much for your help . Luckily I'm not intolerant to anything else, so hoping it should be ok. Thanks for your tiem and help x