The History of In-Flight Peanuts

The History of In-Flight Peanuts

Vocabulary


deadly 
Adjective
/ˈdɛdliː/able or likely to cause death
A knife can be a deadly weapon.
Sharks are deadly predators.


allergy
Noun
/ˈælərdʒiː/a medical condition that is caused by a particular food, pollen, fur, or dust
My girlfriend has an allergy to shellfish.

severe
Adjective
/sɪˈviːr/(of something bad) very intense or serious
The toothache is causing her severe pain.


dust
Noun
/dəst/a fine powder made up of small pieces of dirt, sand, etc.
The old typewriter is covered in dust.


policy
Noun
/ˈpɑːlɪsiː/a plan or rule put in place by an organization
Company policy requires male employees to wear a tie.


reaction 
Noun
/riˈækʃn/an allergic response to something that is often dangerous or deadly
James had a reaction to the bee sting and was rushed to the hospital.

Article

The History of In-Flight Peanuts

It's not clear when the first peanuts were served on a flight, but Southwest Airlines made them famous.

Southwest began flying in 1971 as the world's first low-cost airline. It offered "peanut fares" – flights so cheap they "cost peanuts." So to help make their point and save money, Southwest didn't serve meals: it only served peanuts.


Until 1978, US airline ticket prices were controlled by the government. But once that changed, airlines wanted to reduce costs so they could lower prices. Some chose to serve simpler food, and peanuts – which are cheap and last a long time – were a popular choice.


After the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, many airlines lost money and meals became even smaller. Some airlines even started making people pay for their peanuts.


Around the same time, deadly peanut allergies were becoming more common in the US. People with severe peanut allergies can die from just breathing in the dust from peanuts, so airlines created special policies for people with peanut allergies. Some airlines let them board early to clean their seats, or created areas where nobody was allowed to eat peanuts. Other airlines stopped serving peanuts altogether.


Southwest still served more than 106 million packages of peanuts in 2017. But in 2018, a nine-year-old boy had a severe reaction to them on a Southwest flight. The boy survived, but Southwest decided to stop serving peanuts on August 1.


A few US airlines, such as Delta, continue to serve peanuts. Others, like United and American Airlines, have stopped. However, since other passengers may still bring peanuts on board, and some meals may include nuts, no airline can say for sure that its flights will be completely peanut-free.




Questions

1.When did Southwest Airlines begin flying?

2.Why did airlines start serving simpler food after 1978?

3.What airlines can say for sure that its flights are completely peanut free?


Discussion

1.What are your thoughts on the history of in-flight peanuts?

2.Do you ever bring snacks with you when you fly? Why? Why not?

3.If you were to write an airplane menu, what foods would you include? Please explain your answer.

4.Do you have any allergies? If so, how did you find out about them?

5.Do you know anyone with severe allergies? Please explain your answer.


Further Discussion 

1.Have you ever had a good meal on a plane? If so, please share your experience.

2.What airline have you traveled with the most? Would you recommend them?

3.What are the cheapest airlines where you live? Please explain your answer.

4.What's the longest flight you've ever been on? Please share your experience.

5.I love flying so much. I even like airplane food. - Margot Robbie. What do you like most about flying? Please explain your answer.