Southwest Airlines gets rid of peanuts

Why is Southwest Airlines picking on the poor peanut? The company decided to quit offering the airline staple as of August 1, 2018. to create the most wonderfulest customer experience for all travelers, especially those with peanut allergies.

Sure, you can still get some pretzels, a few cookies and even some veggie chips, but I’m sad the lowly peanut is going bye-bye. Such memories we had.

But I feel for those with allergies. You can get shortness of breath, stomach cramps and skin hives, which is exactly how I reacted when one girlfriend broke up with me on a ski lift in the middle of a long-planned vacation.

I just have nostalgia for the lowly peanut. It gets no respect these days—lots of people are still calling it a nut. It’s not a nut. It’s a legume, which means it grows in a pod like a pea. Here are three other things you may not know about my friend, the peanut.

Georgia Puts Out

Georgia is the number one producer of peanuts in US, cranking out 42 percent of all peanuts sold here. The second most peanutty state is Florida, but you already knew they were nuts. Heck, just today news outlets reported the story of a Florida man who had a dispute with a neighbor and tried to mow him down with a tractor-sized riding lawn mower. He was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.

King Peanut

Peanuts are the king of all snack nuts in the US, comprising 66 percent of the market. Top selling brands includes private label, Planters, Wonderful and Blue Diamond. Failed brand names include Red, White and Nuts; Uncle Nuts; and I Got Your Nuts Right Here.

Live Longer

Some researchers say eating peanuts can help lower the risk of of death from chronic ailments like respiratory disease, heart disease and diabetes. I found peanuts also helped develop arm strength, dexterity and hand-eye coordination when I threw my Southwest peanuts at my brother sitting three rows ahead on one trip. That was before I was asked to leave the plane at 35,000 feet.