<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
>Fran~Oregon wrote:
>I posted a note with negative experiences on American Airlines with the
>meals they claimed to be gluten free & were obviously not....I received a
>reply today that acknowledged their need to work with the food service
>people on getting this corrected....I feel it is appropriate to
>publicly announce that they made an honest effort to remedy the
>situation.
 
List Members:
        What a coincidence that Fran posted this at this same time that I
had planned to post a copy of this letter I am sending off to American
Airlines about my own negative experience this past vacation flight!  I
guess I had never caught Fran's original post, but am glad she received an
encouraging response from them.
        Some people might say, why bother with a letter - just use a
different carrier.  Well,  overall I like their service AND MOST OF ALL  if
we want to see changes made, then we need to write letters, make calls, and
do whatever we need to do to help make it happen.  I encourage anyone else
who has had this type of experience to do the same.
        Below is the copy of my letter to American Airlines.  I plan to
mail it Monday or Tuesday.  Fran, please let me know if you have a better
address.    - N:)
 
 
American Airlines
P.O. Box 619612, MD 2400
DFW Airport,  Texas  75261-9612
 
Attention:  Customer Relations
 
Dear American Airlines:
 
For years,  my family and I have flown American Airlines and have always
been pleased.  The American Airlines service I received on our most recent
vacation, however, proved to be a most distressing experience for me.
 
Three months ago,  I was diagnosed with Celiac disease.  This condition
involves life threatening food allergies.  Due to severe reactions and long
term physical effects,  I am unable to eat any foods containing wheat,
oats, barley, rye and food products derived from these grains.
 
Prior to this vacation,  I called American Airlines and placed a special
request for  gluten free meals on my flights.  The American Airlines
representative efficiently took my order, which was delivered to me in
flight with equal efficiency.  That, however, was where the efficiency
ended.
 
Two of the three meals I was served were NOT gluten free - a situation
which could have placed a newly diagnosed Celiac still unfamiliar with the
dietary restrictions in an allergic reaction situation!  Fortunately, I was
able to catch the errors.  I would like to also mention that flight
attendant "Cindy" on flight # 1543  caught one of the mistakes immediately
and was extremely sympathetic to the problem. This, none the less, did
nothing to satiate my hunger while others around me ate.
 
My breakfast meal on flight # 1172 included a box of bran flakes - poison
to a Celiac!  The snack on my return flight # 1543 was a rather delicious
looking sandwich on a whole wheat bun.  Also included was a packet of
non-gluten free mustard and a wheat based chocolate chip cookie.  I repeat,
if I were a new Celiac trusting that these meals were indeed gluten free as
requested,  I could have suffered a severe physical reaction.
 
I would like to add, I was happy to find a rice cake included in each meal,
which is approved on the gluten free foods list.  In each case, however,
the rice cake was quite stale and unpalatable!  Another disappointment!
 
Our vacation took us from Phoenix to Grand Cayman.  Such a distance
requires many travel hours.  It is not much for me to expect an edible and
safe meal just as all other paying passengers.  If, however, American
Airlines is unable to provide this accurate service for special dietary
needs persons like myself, then it behooves American Airlines to inform the
individual in order that they may be prepared with an alternate food
source!
 
Persons with special dietary needs are frequently not so by choice. A
health factor is usually involved.  Dealing with the food restrictions is
certainly difficult enough without having to deal with an experience like
this.
 
I beseech you to learn about the possible severe reactions involved when
mistakes of this type are made.   Educate your food service personnel in
the various special dietary needs in order that they can accurately fill
meal requests.   The reputation of American Airlines and peoples' lives may
be at stake!
 
Thank you for looking into this matter.   I look forward to your reply.
 
                                    Nina :)
                                '89FX3/Coupe (SAM)