Would you eat a packet of nuts on a plane?

[Purpleturtle45]

I thought it was widely understood that you don't eat nuts on a plane. The woman next to me just cracked a packet open!

I didn’t say I expected others to take precautions. You’ve just assumed that for some reason.

What about a pack of sour cream pretzels? By that logic a peanut butter sandwich is fine but a packet of Wotsits isn’t. But I’ve never heard any call for a dairy free flight. And I’ve definitely seen people spill milky tea around their seat and tray.

If someone had such a serious nut allergy that they would be affected by touching anything that someone who’d eaten nuts might have touched, then they would be taking great care to not touch anything with their bare hands. Escalators, lift buttons, door handles, passport scanners, bag trays in security area, seatbelt buckles on the plane… the list is endless just in an airport! There has to be some responsibility on them to keep themselves safe - sadly, the world cannot be made sterile.

You literally said you wanted them to not be sold?

I think you must have mixed me up with another poster? I didn’t say anything like that.

I would unless there was an announcement or else a person sitting near me asked me to not eat them if they were allergic

No, someone might have a nut allergy.

I work in a hospital - items containing nuts are sold and eaten all over the place (staff, patients, visitors). In my 30+ years I have not come across a single incident of someone having a reaction to them. Not saying that it hasn’t ever happened but it’s very rare.
Obviously, if you are going to have a reaction, it is probably best had in a hospital than on a plane. However, as PPs have said, nuts are available and running free everywhere (except in schools) so it is not something most people would need to give a second thought about.

I wouldn't, because I'd die 😅

I know there's a lot of talk now about how nut allergies can't be airborne, but I was in a cafe the other day (fairly small so tables in close proximity) and out of nowhere my nose and eyes started streaming, voice became hoarse and it felt like my throat was closing up. I turned around and saw the people on the table next to us eating peanuts (so not psychological - the symptoms happened before I knew there were peanuts in the vicinity).

I immediately left the cafe area and took my epi pens with me ready to use them if it worsened. It gradually improved and within about 5-10 minutes of leaving the cafe I was back to normal. I've never had it happen before (only ever reacted to eating, but the GP told me to be cautious around them too). What could cause that if peanut allergies can't be airborne?

I wouldn't eat nuts on a plane. It's not worth the risk. A lot of long haul airlines esp the middle Eastern ones serve nuts and the middle easterns ones even refuse to not stop serving them if a person with allergies board. Therefore I think a lot of those people with nut allergies avoid those airlines. Jet2 don't serve any nuts at all and neither do tui i think. You sound like a lovely aunty and a very kind and considerate person. Wish there were more people like you around 💐.

Yes, unless I was told not to, which didn’t happen on a flight I was on recently

I eat nuts a lot every day - on my breakfast, as a savoury snack, with chocolate as a sweet snack. I also put ground almond in a savoury and sweet baking.
I'm T2 so shouldn't eat a lot of other convenient snack options - like crisps, pretzels, cereal bars, biscuits.

I always take nut products - nuts, nut bars etc when travelling - by car, plane or train. I eat them on planes unless there is an announcement on board to say not to as there is someone with an allergy.

In that situation I either go hungry or eat the carby snack and accept I will have raised glucose levels (which is harmful). I'm not going to do that on the off chance there may be someone allergic, if it hasn't been announced

@R0ckandHardPlaceThey absolutely do not declare a dairy allergy. Only nuts. And our main concern is actually children with melted chocolate all over their face and hands on planes. At the playground, it's ice-cream everywhere

If you are travelling with someone that has the allergy then it is up to you to tell the cabin crew when boarding so that they can make an announcement. I had to do this when taking one of my daughter's friends with us on holiday that had a nut allergy.

Yes and I have done so. Cashew nuts.

I remember being given a packet of nuts with m drink my the cabin crew

Some people are just cunts though

I don’t because I’m aware that there might be an announcement asking the pax not to, so I don’t want to be sitting all flight thinking about my peanut M&Ms I can’t eat.

Yes, if your allergy is that severe you would make the airline aware.

I think the staff on the plane make an announcement if anyone on the plane has an allergy, otherwise eating peanuts isn't a problem.

It's up to passengers and parents to declare any allergies in advance when booking , what if someone in the row behind you ate nuts, would you expect them to ask you too.

Hope no one does this on Friday when I fly out ! I’m with my aldult daughter and she has severe nut allergy! We will tell cabin crew thou as we get on the plane x

Oof I always eat nuts when I travel. Nut bars and bags of trail mix etc. DC is very bad with eating when travelling and the only thing I can get into them is nuts and they usually keep them going long enough that we can get to our destination. We don't fly very often but when we do it's a solid 12-14 day of travel for us. I was always under the impression that airlines served nuts to passengers and assumed it was ok and I've never been on a flight that was nut free so it's not even occurred to me. I shall re-think the next time I travel. I certainly wouldn't want to accidentally kill anyone. 🙈

From what I can see the peanut allergy/plane thing has very little scientific evidence, if any

If the plane sells nuts, it's fine to eat them.

If someone is on board with a severe nut allergy, it behooves the airline to inform passengers before they board, to ensure if anyone has brought nut-based snacks onto the flight they are aware they should not open them.

Tbh though if your allergy is severe it's a risk even flying as you could end up sat next to someone who has had peanut butter on toast for breakfast at the hotel an hour before boarding. You would really need to be careful and ensure you're sat only next to people you know or have an empty row.

Unless I was told of an allergy it wouldn't even occur to me to not eat a specific thing, people can be allergic to all kinds of things so it just wouldn't be possible to avoid everything someone could be allergic to.