Should peanuts be banned from all flights?

I UNDERSTAND Julianne Ponan’s fury over her treatment by some airlines and the lack of understanding of severe food allergies (Letters). Unless you know someone with a life-threatening allergy, you have no idea how dangerous proximity to certain foods can be. My experience of travelling to the U.S. with my severely allergic son was very different to Julianne’s. We notified Virgin Atlantic of his allergies when we made our booking and the flight was declared nut-free. Other snacks were served, so I am sure none of the passengers felt inconvenienced. When nuts are quite rightly banned from primary schools, it seems incomprehensible that airlines don’t treat this issue seriously.

JAN RUCK, Bexleyheath, Kent.

YOU are responsible for your own safety. You can’t subcontract it to an airline just because you are on a plane. This may seem unfair, but you are the best person to take care of yourself. Why would anyone with food allergies buy and eat something they have not prepared? The responsibility is with the customer.

DAVID WHITE, Basingstoke, Hants. I AM allergic to prawns, so common sense prevails and I don’t eat them. If you have a nut allergy, avoid all shops and restaurants that sell and serve them. And when you fly, wear a mask.

PAUL MITCHELL, Bury, Lancs. SMOKERS have to cope without cigarettes on planes, so surely passengers can resist eating snacks or meals containing nuts. It’s a small price to pay for potentially saving a life.

Mrs JAN SMITH, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex.

IF I had a severe food allergy, I’d either not travel by plane or wear a state-ofthe-art face covering.

I certainly wouldn’t dictate what other passengers can and can’t do. Surely it’s my responsibility to protect myself and I don’t expect others to be forced to do so.

Whatever suits the majority should be the guiding principle.

SHEILA ATTWATER, Swindon, Wilts. HOW typical that the minority thinks the majority should bend over backwards to accommodate them, sometimes to their great inconvenience.

Why should a plane load of passengers be deprived of eating peanuts when a far easier solution is for people with severe allergies not to travel. Consideration works both ways.

KATHY TYRRELL, Kettering, Northants.