The College of Pittsburgh softball workforce has introduced a proper boycott of Southwest Airways after a sequence of alarming incidents tied to the airline’s new in-flight snack coverage. The controversy facilities on Southwest’s resolution to supply “Fantastic Pistachios No Shells” as a complimentary perk for passengers in extra-legroom seats. This variation has created a life-threatening setting for a member of the Panthers’ program with a extreme airborne nut allergy.
The difficulty first escalated throughout the workforce’s journey to Florida for his or her season-opener and resurfaced on a latest flight to Houston. As a result of the allergy is inhaled somewhat than ingested, the presence of nuts within the cabin poses a direct threat. Regardless of the workforce’s pleas, Southwest reportedly refused to droop the service of pistachios or make an onboard announcement asking fellow passengers to chorus from consuming them, citing company coverage.
Assistant coach Jordan Dail has been a vocal critic of the airline’s stance, taking to social media to precise her outrage. “I’m sorry but when somebody is deathly allergic to all nuts & it’s AIRBORNE, you shouldn’t be telling them that you simply ‘can’t not serve pistachios to the primary 6 rows,’” Dail posted. She additional criticized the airline’s priorities, stating {that a} passenger’s “pistachio cravings” ought to by no means be valued greater than a human life.
The teaching employees’s frustration reached a boiling level when Dail described the airline’s refusal to accommodate the medical necessity as “tried homicide.” She emphasised that the crew’s lack of communication was notably egregious, calling the airline “disgusting” for placing an individual’s life in danger for the sake of a premium snack providing. The workforce argued that the “luxurious” of the snack doesn’t justify the potential for a deadly response.
Southwest’s official response to inquiries in regards to the coverage provided little comfort. The airline acknowledged that whereas it provides various snacks for these with allergic reactions, it might not decide to suspending the service of tree nuts or making particular cabin bulletins when notified of an allergy prematurely. This inflexible adherence to protocol has left the Pitt softball program feeling that their security is a secondary concern to the airline’s advertising of seat upgrades.
On account of these experiences, the Panthers have vowed to finish all future journey with Southwest Airways. Coach Dail confirmed the boycott, stating, “Pitt Softball is not going to be utilizing Southwest Air in future seasons, and neither will I personally, in help of our allergy pal.” The workforce hopes that their public stance will immediate the airline to reevaluate its security procedures for extreme allergic reactions.
The scenario highlights a rising pressure between airline “perks” and passenger accessibility. For the Pittsburgh softball workforce, the choice to boycott is a matter of precept and safety. As they navigate the rest of their season on different carriers, the message to Southwest stays clear: “Security first. Snacks second. Do higher.”
