Nuts on planes

[Bookmonster123]

Hi

I am due to fly with DS soon, first time he’s been on a plane. DS has a peanut allergy, has epi pens prescribed. What’s the protocol about nuts during the flight.

Do I tell the airline at booking, check in or on the day? Do they always accommodate requests not to eat nuts during the flight?

Thanks

DH has a different allergy . Epipens are not enough - he has 2 , one to take after the other if not effective . Standard procedure is then to call 999 , ambulance crew are allowed to administer a 3rd epipen if needed. Just some extra information for those that think using one epipen is enough and they can carry on munching their nuts .

I flew with my niece last year who has a severe nut allergy and has had anaphylaxis a number of times previously. BA made an announcement but niece wore a high filter face mask from entering the plane to after she exited, to lower the risk of allergens to her.

What a lovely person you are.

Have you ever seen anyone die from anaphylaxis?

You really do get the dregs of society commenting on this forum.

The family didn't follow the airline's procedures, and then argued with staff. If I tried to get into the cockpit for any reason, I would expect to be removed from the flight.

Yep, as you say and as I’ve heard elsewhere there appears to have been a bit more to that particular story than has been portrayed in some outlets.

Nature Valley do a Honey and Oat bar which is nut free. Also Deliciously Ella has some fruit based bars.

Unless they've changed, nature valley honey and oat are not gluten free oats so not safe for coeliac. Fruit based bars aren't cereal bars. Sorry for hijack but when someone said they were readily available I was briefly excited.

What a ridiculous response! You need to mitigate risk where you can. Obviously that's not possible on a bus but there are many simple steps that can be taken when on a plane to reduce the exposure risk especially from an anaphylactic peanut allergy.

Oh god yes, no big deal if someone dies on board - after all, it's less than 1% of passengers. Who cares 🤦🏻‍♀️. It would be very inconvenient for you if the flight had to be grounded. Maybe they could ask the person with anaphylaxis to just die quietly and then cover them with a blanket?

Just playing devil's advocate. Not trying to be a dick or anything...

@CreateUserNames

Well yes of course I do but not everyone will wash them after quaffing a bag of nuts then touching their table to place it upright before going to the loo and touching various surfaces on their way and in there.

And yes I see lots of people touching seat tops perhaps to steady themselves. I have vertigo as an example and often get moments where I'll need to steady myself. Or maybe going in the overhead locker

There are many surfaces one may touch before washing their hands after eating nuts.

I have no problem not eating nuts on a flight, I absolutely try and avoid bringing nuts on board. But I eat a special diet (kosher) and nuts are one of the few (nutritious) things that you can buy in airports that are ok for me to eat, so if they banned them from airports it would be really difficult. SImilar for coeliacs, vegans, diary allergic people etc I imagine.

I would definitely not eat any nuts I had bought on a plane, but it would be lovely to know prior to the flight.

The DE bars are gluten free oat based with fruit mixed in, sorry I wasn't clear. For example:

https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/deliciously-ella-apple-raisin-cinnamon-oat-bar-60034263?skuid=050654&utm_campaign=shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw34qzBhBmEiwAOUQcF8Ol2LyrEQqUKer5QheAgjZztDIfwdn3wNlo5jYBNA2MOspgTE5PUBoCzm4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Also Nairns Crunchy Oat bars - full range here:
https://shop.nairns-oatcakes.com/collections/gluten-free

Freee oat bars - https://www.freee-foods.co.uk/shop-category/oat-bars/

Sainsbury's - https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/bio-me-toffee-apple-oat-bar-3x38g

There's lots when you start hunting!

Mention it at every opportunity you can. No reason to feel shy about it, mention it on booking, check in, boarding, even when just chatting to staff..

We once went on a Virgin Atlantic flight where after making an announcement asking that passengers don’t open any nut products they may have, they proceeded to hand out to everyone an “Outrageously Nutty Nougat” bar. It was only when we heard someone ahead complain “I thought you said we couldn’t eat nuts??” did we realise what was happening…. they refused to stop handing it out or apologise and ask those that already had it to not eat it. I went around the aisles asking every one if they kindly wouldn’t eat it or my relative would die. People were very obliging and kind and horrified by the staff.

So we would never fly Virgin again. We have been on many other flights and all other airlines have been extremely helpful and almost overzealous in ensuring no nuts.

I know many people hate the idea this sort of thing but:

https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers/before-you-fly/am-i-fit-to-fly/health-information-for-passengers/passenger-health-faqs-the-aircraft-cabin-your-health-and-comfort/

and an Imperial College Study here:

https://www.caa.co.uk/publication/download/20976

That’s a longish document but the key findings at the start might be of interest.

Epipens buy time until an ambulance arrives.

Ambulances can't reach planes.

I've seen a couple of posts recently where air lines have refused to stop selling nuts despite the allergy and one family were removed from a flight after they asked passengers not to eat nuts themselves.

That's a stupid answer. Why does anybody need nuts on a flight? I love nuts. I don't feel particularly aggrieved if I can't eat them for a few hours. Afaik there are no medical conditions which mean you have to eat nuts all the time. You are not a squirrel.

What an unbelievably thick comment.

Epi pens aren't a magic cure, they buy you time to get to the hospital to get medical attention. How would you suggest someone experiencing anaphylaxis on a plane do that? Parachute? Teleport?

Way to tell on yourself that you're the kind of ignorant twat who'd put your right to eat a fucking snickers over someone else's life. You should be embarrassed.

That family were removed from the plane after becoming argumentative and the man tried to get into the cockpit. They have spun an excellent story, but they failed to notify the airline in advance and then kicked off.

I totally get this, my son has anaphylaxis to egg and dairy. Both are more volatile airborne allergens, but we are largely ignored in this debate as the only allergens that are ever prohibited on planes are nuts. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting it's a competition. If you do the research, it's a tiny risk of airborne contamination due to the filter process on a plane, the direct danger is skin contamination from those seated closest. We've just had to manage this ourselves in flight and often on flights where there has been no nut announcements. Take antihistamines in advance, take inhalers, epi pens and mention to the cabin crew (which you would anyway as you've had to mention taking needles through security) I've only ever once had a problem and that was a child sitting in front, stuffing a bloody cheese sandwich between the seats. But, quick chat with mum, wet wipes and the watchful caution that's second nature to life now anyway, resolved it.

I think we need clear guidelines for all flights, but it ain't just nuts.

@SweetGingerTea , I can only assume you have no comprehension of how serious anaphylactic shock is. Yes they have an epi-pen but they are also potentially hours from medical assistance. Would you rather risk a child dying so you can eat nuts? Jeez!

Your ignorance is astounding.

dont think airlines serve nuts because of the allergy risk and, provided they know, will tell people that someone on board has a severe allergy , if this is the case, so nuts are not permitted at all during the flight

@LetMeGoogleThat I suspect it's because it's easy to ban nuts compared to dairy and egg. Just imagine the outcry in the UK if a school says they'll be dairy free.

Many serve nuts. Some even says they won't serve nut free food or stop selling nuts.

@SilverHairedCat well that's completely different!!