Yahoo News Parents of girl with allergy fear losing £19k Disney trip as airline will serve eggs
The parents of nine-year-old Dolly Fisher, from Rainham, Essex, who has a severe egg allergy, wanted the product removed from their Virgin Atlantic flight to Florida.
The parents of a nine-year-old girl with a life-threatening allergy say they fear missing out on their dream holiday to Disney World as their airline plans to serve egg dishes on board.
Carly-Jane and Craig Fisher, both 43, have spent £19,000 on a holiday to the resort in Florida next month with their three children, twins Dolly and Betty, nine, and Freddie, 12.
Dolly was diagnosed with an egg allergy when she was three, which is so severe she could go into anaphylactic shock and must carry an EpiPen.
The family say Virgin Atlantic refuses to take egg dishes off its menu despite their pleas.
Ms Fisher, a law firm manager from Rainham, Essex, contacted the airline last month to ask what meals they would be serving on the flight.
She said Virgin told her it would not be possible to remove any items from the menu for their trip.
The airline has since said that no egg dishes will be served in economy, where the family will be seated.
However, egg dishes will be served on the flight's Premium and Upper sections. Virgin says Dolly and her family will be seated at the back of the economy cabin as far away from the other sections as possible.
But Ms Fisher, who had asked the airline to remove all egg from the plane, said this is "not the most ideal solution".
She said she fears being told before boarding that the airline will not risk flying with Dolly on board.
"We have to find out what they're serving every time we fly because she could potentially die," said Ms Fisher.
"She goes into anaphylactic shock. It's awful, horrific. Her throat closes, she coughs, her airways close up.
"They weren't saying she couldn't go on the plane but it's at our risk. We could get to the gate and the pilot says they aren't willing to take the risk. It's such an anxious time.
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"The last time we went away she was so anxious, she said she didn't want to ruin the family's holiday again. A little girl shouldn't have to deal with that. She didn't ask to be allergic.
"We don't want to be awkward. I don't want to stop people enjoying themselves but I don't want my daughter to die."
Mr Fisher, a head of creative productions, said: "They said they couldn't change it for one flight, it has to be global, which I can't get my head around. It's one flight from Heathrow.
"It's the resistance that you get. There's no want to help or find a solution, it's very black and white. Half of the battle is they say they can give her other food. The allergy is so severe, it's airborne so it can't be anywhere on the plane."
Ms Fisher said: "If we don't get the flight, we lose £19,000. We've got a flight with easyJet before and they went above and beyond so it can be done.
"Why do people with a peanut allergy be afforded any more protection than someone with any kind of life-threatening allergy?"
She said she had recently gone back to work after five and a half years just to pay for the holiday.
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told Yahoo News UK on Monday: “The safety of our customers is always our top priority, and for special food requirements we ask customers to seek advice from our special assistance team in advance of booking.
“For allergies we would strongly encourage customers to take all necessary precautions, including bringing their own meals on board and to prepare for the possibility of inadvertent exposure.
“On this occasion, we were able to seat the family at the back of economy, away from the meals being served in Upper and Premium which contain eggs, as well as ensuring all the cabin crew are aware of the allergy whilst also advising the family to bring their own food on board."
But Ms Fisher said: "They said egg will still be in the upper classes but we would be moved further down the back at the plane - it's not the most ideal solution but it limits her risk.
"It's the only option we really have. I'm hoping that by creating a buffer zone as such around her with her mask and antihistamine it will be enough."
