AUGUST Q&A WITH YASSER OGANDO, SALES PLANNER
In our August 2018 issue, Yasser Ogando discussed all things vino. Being our wine issue of the magazine and Yasser’s first time attending our annual Wines on the Wing survey, her reflection on tasting a variety of wines at the event inspired the question: Do you choose your wine based on your mood or on your entrée choice?

A good pairing changes the entire dinner experience. I will usually look at the food menu first and decide what I want to eat before I choose a glass of wine to go with it.
SAM DELANEY, via email

I tend to go lighter in the summer and heavier in the winter with my wines, but typically it all depends on my mood. An interesting wine tastes good with anything.
LESLIE KARTOVSKI, via email

THE PEANUT GALLERY
In our Aug. 8 eFlyer USA newsletter, we discussed Southwest Airlines moving away from peanuts, as the snack has been officially removed from the airline menu for the first time in its history. This inspired a few readers to write in with comments both last month and again this month:

What!!? No Southwest peanuts?! I’m so disappointed. Peanuts are a snack we Atkins dieters and gluten-restricted eaters can enjoy. No way will I eat a pre-packaged pretzel. I’m bringing on my own peanuts.
YVONNE LANELLI, via email

The real reason Southwest stopped offering peanuts on its flights is simple: money. They cost more than pretzels.
MICHAEL GREEN, via email

Only 150 deaths per year? How many of those occur on an airplane?
I am diabetic. There are many, many people in the world who are also diabetic. Guess what? We can eat peanuts, but we can’t eat pretzels or chips. Years ago, I started carrying my own bag of nuts when I travel, as most airlines do not serve diabetic-friendly anything except water. The only negative thing about water is it doesn’t fill you up.
I live overseas but typically take one or two Southwest flights a year when I am in the United States (primarily because it is the only airline that still offers free baggage check and flies where I want to go). I am typically laden with baggage on the return trip, stocking up on things I can’t get overseas, and having to manage TSA-friendly foods gets to be a real hassle (no milk, no yogurt, no other liquids or things in cans). Consequently, I don’t travel nearly as much or as often as I used to. Chinese flights offer juice, sugary soft drinks and instant coffee with sugar and creamer already added. Meals are mostly bread, rice or noodles.
When is someone going to consider diabetics?
MELANIE G. FLANDERS, via email

I just flew Southwest Aug. 14, 2018. No peanuts but did have pretzels. I noted the pretzels are not produced nor packaged in a peanut- or nut-free environment. Therefore, anyone with a peanut or nut allergy could still have a severe or life-threatening result if they eat them. Seems dumb to me to drop peanuts (I’m allergic to peanuts) but serve another item that may have issues with cross-contamination.
If just peanuts were served, one with an allergy would know to avoid them. Unless one reads the tiny print on the pretzels, they may be consumed. Hence, Southwest is not fully mindful of the peanut issue.
TERRI CALABRESE, via email

UNACCOMPANIED MINORS
In our Aug. 15 issue of eFlyer USA, we wrote about the Frontier Airlines incident involving unaccompanied minors after a weather-related flight diversion. Siblings were separated in different hotel rooms with other stranded children and were attended to by a Frontier Airlines chaperone. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there are no federal guidelines for unaccompanied minor travel. This inspired a reader to write in.

I am one of the parents who sent their kids flying alone many times. I always paid for flight attendant assistance since the flights were international and involved layovers of certain lengths. I have never had a problem, although I would be lying if I said I was never worried. Any parent would be, even if these flights were happening before 2001. The airline was KLM, and it never let us down. One time we couldn’t get to the airport in time to pick up our children because of an accident on the road, and a flight attendant waited with them at the airport for us for almost two hours.
Another time their flight left late so it missed the connection in Amsterdam. There was a layover of nine hours. The airline put my children in care of a flight attendant for all that time in the children’s lounge in the airport and called me to let me know. The flight attendant called and had the children talk with me from there. She fed them, walked with them in the airport, gave them ice cream, played games in the lounge, took care of them. Then another one took over for the final portion of the flight.
I don’t think I ever gave the airline feedback, but I wouldn’t hesitate to do that again if need be with that airline. They earned my trust. What is happening now is the airlines changed their whole approach and attitude toward travelers. They used to care much more about passengers; now we’re more like cattle they have to put up with!
Currently, there are airlines I would never fly with or send my kids with anywhere. Main point is, parents need to do their homework before sending their kids off. Ask questions about different scenarios, make sure the airline is provided with their cellphone numbers. And nowadays, kids have their own cellphones; have them take a bit of responsibility to keep their parents informed of things, additionally to the airline.
I thought I should give my testimony to a good airline because it deserves it, as well as giving a bit of advice for parents.
OANA DREW, via email

Q&A WITH FRANCIS X. GALLAGHER, PUBLISHER AND CEO
I’m curious about how our readers combine business and leisure trips. Do you do this mainly on a solo basis, or do you try to include your partner/friends? Are you more likely to combine trips when traveling domestically or internationally?

Email us: letters@globaltravelerusa.com