Would you eat a packet of nuts on a plane?

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2451897-risk-of-peanut-allergies-from-air-on-planes-has-been-overblown/

On the two flights I’ve been on in the past month the cabin crew were handing out bags of nuts before the meal service, so yes I ate them along with I assume 90% of the other passengers

Completely normal, however the crew would ensure it didn’t happen if you informed the airline in advance DS has a severe nut allergy.

Sometimes this is the case and passengers are informed and nuts are then not served or permitted.

I wouldn’t purposely not have them, unless I was told it was a nut free flight. I probably wouldn’t eat a packet of nuts per se, but maybe I’d have something like a snickers bar. Obviously not if I was told not to though.

No l wouldn't - l can survive without them for a few hours if it means keeping others safe.

Have you been to a café, supermarket, bakery, restaurant etc recently? Nuts at everywhere.

Personally no because I don't like nuts.

However it is slightly frustrating how nut allergies are considered worse than every other anaphylaxis allergy. Milk for example... People would complain bitterly about no milk in their tea on a plane, yet it has the potential to have the sane effect.

(I wouldn't eat anything we are asked not to... but it should be announced we'll before the flight rather than at the last moment when people already have items bought for the flight(

Most deaths are not to milk allergy sufferers.
In children, yes, milk allergy causes the highest number of fatalities if peanuts, tree nuts and unidentified nuts are classified separately.
Not so in adults.
Nuts are considered dangerous for good reason, though unfortunately they’re not alone in being dangerous if you’re allergic.

I was thinking about this the other day. Surely we’re getting to the stage in society where it’s just completely unacceptable to eat nuts on a train, or basically anywhere in public at all? Because someone could die!

Airborne nut allergies are quite rare.

The difference is that if an allergy sufferer was exposed to nuts in a supermarket or anywhere else on the ground for that matter, an ambulance would be called. An EpiPen will hold off death for ten minutes, and most people with allergies carry two meaning they’ve got twenty minutes until they’re dead unless an ambulance can get to them.

An ambulance can’t get to 30,000 feet over the Atlantic in twenty minutes.

Why would you do that?

Nuts are particularly problematic because they’re ‘dusty’ which bananas, eggs, milk and seafood are not. Pet dander is but less of an issue on flights specifically.

At least on the ground you have the chance of a hospital fairly quickly if needed
on a plane not so much

Has anyone said that? Most people seem to agree they'd not eat them if asked.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2dpkpjjnw2o

This. I was reading something about this recently but I can’t remember where.

We flew Cathay Pacific in 2024 and everyone was given (in economy) a packet of peanuts soon after take off. My anaphylactic son had to put on 2 face masks to block the smell and still ended up vomiting.

apparently you have to email them a doctors certificate 3 weeks out for them to not serve them.

Do you fly often? I’ve been on plenty of flights where the crew specifically announced that there was a passenger with a severe nut allergy, so they wouldn’t be serving nuts and asked everyone else not to eat them either. If no such announcement is made, then why should I assume I can’t eat nuts on the plane?

I’ve seen various threads here and on other forums (granted probably the hellhole that is Facebook) where people will absolutely defend their right to eat nuts and are horrified at the suggestion they refrain for a few hours.

The onus is on the allergy sufferer or their appropriate adult to alert the flight staff. Reasonable people absolutely then don't eat nuts post an announcement. No announcement, I'll eat them if I like.

I was offered nuts on a flight just last week, so I assumed it was still fine unless told otherwise.

Nuts and traces of nuts can be found in all kinds of things like chocolate bars and bread so I wonder how it works in practice.

No because my daughter has a nut allergy. Her allergist doctor told us to wipe around her seat and the handles, seat belt etc when we fly to clean any nut residue and to clean her hands as she puts her fingers in her mouth. We always have baby wipes and her adrenaline pens with us. I wouldn't expect anyone not to eat nuts unless the cabin crew announced it (which they do when our daughter is flying) but for those who don't eat nuts just incase, thank you very much. 😊

Nuts aren't really a snack I buy for myself except at christmas. I do eat them in cakes and salads at home. I doubt I would ever take nuts on a flight and I will never be able to afford first or business class so won't ever be served nuts on a plane either.

I think on planes they normally do an announcement if you've told them you have a nut allergy.

Actually you're probably right - they just told us they weren't selling any products with nuts in because there was someone with a severe allergy on the flight.

I'd hope in that situation, no one would actually bring their own nuts and open them.