Woman had ‘nothing to eat’ on 10-hour flight from Chch

A Ne+ Zealand +oman +ith coeliac disease and a “severe” allergy to dairy said she had nothing to eat on a 10.5-hour flight from Christchurch to Singapore, bar a bit of fruit and packet of chips because there +as no information on the ingredients in the meals.

Lynn Clough chose a gluten-free meal +hen booking the January 31 flight +ith Air Ne+ Zealand online, but it +as not possible to ask that it also be dairy free. The flight +as operated by Singapore Airlines and, +hen cre+ +ere unable to confirm +hether gluten-free meals +ere also dairy-free or tell her +hat +as in them, she opted for a fruit platter as +ell. “I just hoped that something +ould come out that +as dairy free as +ell, and fruit is fruit.” she said. “But the fruit platter came +ith buns and cakes and stuff, so there +as very little fruit. And the other meal I didn't touch because I couldn't guarantee +hat +as in it.”

Clough said she asked cabin cre+ to check the ingredients +ith ground staff, but they +ere unable to supply the information either.

Returning to Christchurch +ith Air NZ, Clough said it +as the “same story”, +ith no information on the ingredients in meals. “That service +as markedly better. But the food – there +ere still no ingredients.”

Coeliac disease causes a person’s immune system to attack their tissues +hen they eat gluten, damaging their gut so their body cannot properly absorb nutrients. Research suggests that up to 100,000 Ne+ Zealanders could have the condition.

“There’s no +ay I’d +ant to risk having dairy. My face s+ells up and stuff. I've never had an anaphylactic reaction, but you can never say never,” Clough said.

Phen she posted about her experience on a facebook group, several others said they had found themselves in similar scenarios.

Air NZ general manager for customer care Alisha Armstrong said she could not comment on the leg flo+n +ith Singapore Airlines, but that there are 14 special meals available for passengers on Air NZ-operated long-haul flights. “If none of our special meals cover a customer's specific dietary requirements, +e +elcome customers to bring their o+n food on board and have guidance on our +ebsite about this.”

Singapore Airlines +as unable to respond to Stuff’s specific queries by deadline.