Facebook For celiac travelers hoping to fly to the island of sand and surf, the journey just got a little bit easier. Hawaiian Airlines has announced that it’s onboard menu will now include “Gluten Free Snack Boxes” for purchase – enabling passengers with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease to snack safely even if they didn’t pack something ahead of time.
The boxes cost $7 and include gluten-free hummus, multi-seed crackers, turkey sticks, roasted chickpeas, fruit gummies and a chocolate chip cookie. Besides the snack box, other smaller snack items, such as gluten-free chips and salsa or hummus and chips can also now be purchased for $4 each.
Facebook users responded positively to the announcement, with some commenting that Hawaiian Airlines is one of the few carriers to provide a gluten-free snack option. However, others noted that they would love to see a gluten-free choice among the complimentary in-flight meals.
One gluten-free traveler, who had recently flown from the West Coast to Honolulu, commented: “Spaghetti and meatballs was a no-go for me, but someone got a double portion! I was quite hungry by the time we landed.”
When it comes to food allergies, the airline has no similar provisions. Its website simply states: “Hawaiian Airlines cannot guarantee allergen-free flights, and we make no provisions to do so.”
Hawaiian Airlines is not the first to offer gluten-free fixings on-board. In addition to carrying gluten-free snack options for purchase, major carriers United, US Airways, and Air Canada offer “gluten-intolerant” meals that can be ordered in advance. For full information on the allergy and gluten-free policies of 13 major air carriers, check our popular Comparing The Airlines’ Allergy Policies Chart.
