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Eating nuts in enclosed spaces

(117 Posts)
ordinarygirl Tue 25-Jun-24 15:31:18

The mother of the girl who died from an allergy to sesame seeds (contained in a bagette) has slammed an advert when it shows somebody eating a a peanut bar on a plane. I fully accept that to have an allergy ( not an intolerance) must be awful. However, is it fair to ban other people from eating nuts whilst on a plane ? For vegans, it is usually an easy option for a snack or meal as caterers don't provide anything for vegans to eat. If travelling from home, then it is easy to take a sandwich but when coming home from a holiday then it is not the case. Hence the purchase of a nut bar. As far as I know there are no restrictions on what people can eat on a plane - I wish there was (when it is smelly meat or eggs). So the questions are - a) should there be a ban on nuts - like smoking? b) The chances of meeting someone with an allergy must be low , so is it fair?

Smileless2012 Tue 25-Jun-24 19:54:54

We used to take regular flights to Florida and on several occasions an announcement was made that nuts wouldn't be served, and anyone who had some was requested not to open them while they were on the plane.

There are plenty of other things available so doing without nuts is no hardship.

I feel for anyone who has a child or themselves has such an extreme and potentially life threatening allergy.

Marydoll Tue 25-Jun-24 19:46:50

If you had experienced the trauma of seeing your child suffer an anaphylactic episode, but thankfully survive, you would do anything to prevent it happening again.
I am saddened by some of the posts on this thread. 😪

Freya5 Tue 25-Jun-24 19:35:18

No nuts, a flight should be a great experience for all, nuts are not at all necessary on them. Unfortunately you have to trust the airlines that they won't inadvertantly bring them on, hidden in whatever processed goods they give out to all and sundry.

growstuff Tue 25-Jun-24 19:28:50

EkwaNimitee

No, it’s not fair or right, first nuts then what next?
My emergency travelling stash-for a low blood sugar episode or meal not turning up-includes fruit and nut bars. I had to use them yesterday on a train journey.
I can’t imagine what non-perishable items could be substituted.

Nuts are low carb, so aren't that good for low blood sugar. Try dried fruit or boiled sweets.

welbeck Tue 25-Jun-24 19:16:24

i'm surprised that people don't know how utterly serious this can be.
there's been such a lot of publicity concerning it, esp recently.
i think this needs to be taught in schools, at an early age.
i'm sure the boy who threw a slice of cheese at his fellow pupil did not intend to kill him.
it's ignorance, which can be deadly.
and perhaps complacency, which is harder to understand, as is blind self-centredness.

winterwhite Tue 25-Jun-24 18:49:41

I assume that the OP simply didn't know that nuts can have such an affect on the air around, esp in aeroplanes. In fact I didn't know it myself.

I thought she was rather over-indignant herself in the first place, but there's no need to respond as though she was writing in full awareness of these life-threatening implications.

LOUISA1523 Tue 25-Jun-24 18:40:20

If there was an announcement before boarding not to eat nuts thats would be fine to me ....would throw away any 8 might have just in case....otherwise I wouldn't think twice about eating them

MissInterpreted Tue 25-Jun-24 18:30:47

That's what I said too, BlueBelle - no-one is going to starve on a plane journey just because they can't eat nuts. Plenty of other snack options...

BlueBelle Tue 25-Jun-24 18:12:38

For crying out loud can’t people eat other things why do you have to eat nuts on your journey are you really saying there is nothing that will bring your blood sugar up except nuts Ekwa
My friend doesn't eat nuts when her blood sugars go low sometimes very low
It’s totally selfish and I can’t believe people can even imagine that they have a right to eat nuts on a plane goodness me the first two posts shocked me, such selfishness

Greenfinch Tue 25-Jun-24 18:10:40

Peanuts and all nuts have the same effect on my adult son. His throat and lips swell up and he has to keep drinking pints of water so that his throat does not close up completely. He is not affected by other people eating nuts in his presence but other people could be.It is too big a risk to take and I commend the airlines which have banned nuts.

welbeck Tue 25-Jun-24 18:07:34

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-48228134#:~:text=Karanbir%20Cheema%2C%2013%2C%20died%20after,was%20%22simply%20not%20thinking%22.

welbeck Tue 25-Jun-24 18:05:50

sg.news.yahoo.com/airline-kicked-family-off-plane-105229493.html#:~:text=INSIDER-,An%20airline%20kicked%20a%20family%20off%20the%20plane%20after%20they,when%20the%20crew%20refused%20to&text=A%20family%20was%20removed%20from,family%20made%20its%20own%20announcement.

GrannyGravy13 Tue 25-Jun-24 17:59:39

MaryDoll I know what you mean about perfumes, I have sat on a plane with my pashmina firmly held over my nose and mouth, fortunately family know what smells set of my asthma.

Marydoll Tue 25-Jun-24 17:55:43

There is difference between being allergic to perfumes (Certain ones can cause me to have an asthma attack) and suffering anaphylaxis due to a peanut allergy.This is often fatal.

I have also heard of people with peanut allergies also being allergic to sesame seeds.
My son couldn't tolerate E nos. either, but they didn't cause anaphylaxis. I spent half my time in the supermarket reading labels to check the ingredients.

GrannyGravy13 Tue 25-Jun-24 17:48:56

We flew with BA last week, as soon as we were seated the steward offered us a packet of mixed nuts to accompany our drinks, I was rather taken aback…

GrannyGravy13 Tue 25-Jun-24 17:46:49

MissAdventure

Did anyone see the damage done to a young woman who worked on the 'This Morning' programme a good few years ago?,

Up,until seeing it, I would have thought it was a big fuss, but she was left in a terrible state.

It was on a plane, too

We have the same physiotherapist, it’s heartbreaking to see her.

Whiff Tue 25-Jun-24 17:37:16

MOnica that was what I was going to say. My son in law brought a chocolate bar with nuts in it for the plane but not allowed to eat it he was going to America. For the very reason the air is circulated so people are breathing anything in the air several times.

M0nica Tue 25-Jun-24 17:30:03

Remember that the air on a plane is recycled and if an allergen gets into the air anywhere in the plane, it can go through the air conditioning system and then be blown out over someone wth an allergy sitting some distance away.

if that person suffers from a seevere allergy, it could kill them. Is it worth killing an innocent person to eat a peanut?

Germanshepherdsmum Tue 25-Jun-24 17:28:57

Will restaurants stop serving anything containing nuts? They are enclosed spaces.

DamaskRose Tue 25-Jun-24 17:25:58

Grandmabatty

So your 'right' to eat nuts means someone's life is at risk? Are you saying that you couldn't find an alternative for the two or three hours in an airplane? Nut allergy is one of the most severe allergies

Exactly this.

karmalady Tue 25-Jun-24 17:22:37

peanuts are legumes not nuts. A peanut allergy would not automatically predispose to having an allergy to tree nuts. Yes I would eat tree nuts in public but definitely not peanuts

Most people are confused just because of the word peanut and they make an assumption

A person could be allergic to perfumes and scents abound, especially in confined spaces

Marydoll Tue 25-Jun-24 17:00:50

We have aways reported DS's nut allergy in the past, prior to flying. It didn't make a bit of difference! People thought we were making a fuss about nothing.

When we first discovered DS's allergy thirty eight years ago, it wasa rare occurance. Only the quick thinking of a doctor friend saved his life. My GP dismissively said he had never heard of it, that is until his daughter experienced the same thing.
In those days, Epipens had to come from the USA and cost a fortune.
Thank goodness clinicians are more aware nowadays.

Also there is a link between peanut allergies and an allergy to latex. That makes medical and dental treatment problematic.

My son suffered anaphylaxis after reacting toa GA, thank goodness he was in an operating theatre, with plenty of doctors around him.

TerriBull Tue 25-Jun-24 16:53:20

As it can be life and death for some people to be in close proximity to nuts, I'd happily not eat them if asked it wouldn't bother me, it's not a big deal, compromising another person's life is a very big deal!

Callistemon213 Tue 25-Jun-24 16:47:34

DD filled in the form to say that she needed gf food but didn't get any. 13 hour flight.

winterwhite Tue 25-Jun-24 16:44:45

Hang on. In view of what some posters have said about allergies kicking in from the mere opening of packets of nuts it would seem sensible for airlines not to offer nuts if allergy sufferers are on the flight. But sufferers from such an extreme allergy should surely do their bit by saying so when booking, and if none reported nuts could be allowed as at present.