USDOT to ban peanuts?

From the Kansas City Star

Buried in the proposal is a rule that would restrict the serving of peanuts on flights. It could be an outright ban, or something less restrictive.

Would I miss peanuts?  No.  I don’t really understand why airlines give pretzels/peanuts/cookies except by request on flights less than 2 hours (so I usually refuse mine).  I do think that airlines should carry free snacks on all flights because you never know when something will happen and someone needs some pretzels to ease their stomach or something to chew to balance ear pressure.  Do they need to serve peanuts?  I don’t know.  I’m sure pretzels are cheaper.  Pretzels also have fewer calories by volume (Delta likes to give 2 packs of peanuts or 1 pack of pretzels, really it should be the other way).  I’m not really a fan of either, but sometimes when flights go awry and it takes 18 hours to get across country by running across airports and getting stuck on taxiways there have been flights where asking for a second bag of pretzels really made the difference between starving and getting through the day.

If the USDOT is banning airlines from serving peanuts as long as they have something else to eat I’m OK (although people out there with Celiac disease would not unless something without wheat/barley/rye is offered).  If the USDOT means all peanuts are banned from the flight then I have an issue with that.  We have had the liquid regulations since 2006 and many people still have no idea.  I don’t think it would be any different for this.  People would bring peanuts or snickers bars and put Flight Attendants in an awkward situation.  They have enough regulations to enforce that pertain to safety on ALL flights.  Should they really take a snickers bar from someone on a flight with no one with a peanut allergy when you can’t prove that someone on the next flight will either?  Would this be enforced by TSA?  They have enough on their plate without adding this.

As far as I know only Delta and Southwest offer peanuts in the US.  Delta has other snacks and Southwest will offer other snacks if arrangements are made in advance.