<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

        Even an airline that seems to be doing pretty well can cause
unexpected problems, and I learned the hard way to be prepared.  I've done
reasonably well on a several airlines--an occasional bagel or package of
croutons on an otherwise gluten-free meal, but nothing that would present
a problem to anyone capable of recognizing obvious blunders, and no ill
effects afterwards.

        So I wasn't carrying GF food on a cross-country return flight (on
American I think--but it might have been Delta) this July, San Francisco
to Raleigh-Durham, that was cancelled at the last minute, with passengers
all rerouted on later flights.  When I asked the attendant rerouting us
about my gluten-free meal, she tried to help but obviously had no
training in what to do--didn't know what one was, finally figured out for
herself that that's what "GF ML" means in computer records, and did call
the caterer, who told her they'd see what they could do.  What they did
was nothing al all--not even an attempt at a GF meal, or any alerting
of crew that I needed special food of any sort.  Even the snack was
pretzels instead of nuts.  (They did serve nuts on the last leg of the
flight, and sympathetic friends showered me with cashews.)  I'll never
again fail to carry food for long flights, even on airlines I trust.

Sydney Pierce
Seattle, WA