SMART TRAVELLER

Flying with nut allergies

Flying can be a source of anxiety for people with nut allergies. The risk of a reaction in a contained environment, 35,000 feet in the air, is a very real concern, and fears are not allayed by the varying policies of airlines. Many carriers follow the International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s recommendations for allergensensitive passengers as a framework. Note, however, that there are still no clear-cut rules governing the in-flight serving of nuts. As a result, airlines state that they cannot guarantee a totally allergen-free environment, as it is not possible to ban passengers from bringing nut-based products on board or stop them from consuming them. Here is what you can do.

CARRY AN EPI PEN IN YOUR HAND LUGGAGE

Bring an adrenaline auto-injector on board and carry an emergency plan signed by your doctor to ensure that you don’t have problems at security.

INFORM CABIN CREW AND YOUR NEIGHBOURS

The crew should make a formal announcement before take-off, if requested to do so, informing passengers of the situation. At such times, British Airways, Easyjet, Jet2 and Ryanair suspend the serving of nut snacks. Not all airlines make a public address, however.

REQUEST A SPECIAL MEAL IN ADVANCE

Many airlines have refrained from using nuts as an ingredient in their in-flight meals, but, as IATA puts it, “airlines are unable to provide allergen-free meals because commercial kitchens cannot guarantee compliance”. Where special nut-free meals are not offered, passengers must make their own food arrangements.

PRE-BOARD TO WIPE DOWN YOUR SEAT

Allergic reactions can be caused from skin contact with nut particles, which circulate in the air and can settle on fold-down trays, seats and armrests. While airlines perform a quick clean of the cabins from one flight to the next, this is unlikely to get rid of all possible debris. Carriers including ANA, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Delta Air Lines extend pre-boarding to nut allergy sufferers so that they can wipe down their seating area in advance. Passengers must bring their own sanitising wipes and cleaning products.

REQUEST A BUFFER ZONE

To prevent allergy sufferers from being in close contact with nut products, some airlines create buffer zones, within which neighbouring passengers refrain from eating nuts during the flight. BT

PEANUT POLICIES

The following airlines do not serve peanuts on board:

▪ Air Canada – currently phasing out other nuts in the packaged

bar snacks

▪ Air New Zealand

▪ American Airlines – serves other kinds of warmed nuts

▪ British Airways – in-flight menus contain walnuts and cashews

▪ Delta Air Lines

▪ Easyjet – removing the last of its nut products from its in-flight range

in the coming months

▪ Flybe

▪ Jetblue

▪ Korean Air – this came about in March following a widely reported incident in which two teenage brothers were removed from a flight owing to a peanut allergy

▪ Lufthansa

▪ Qantas – passengers may still be served almonds, cashews and

macadamia nuts

▪ Singapore Airlines – other nuts are still served in classes other

than economy

▪ Southwest Airlines

▪ United

UK charity Anaphylaxis Campaign lists all of the airlines’ policies: anaphylaxis.org.uk