Travelling with allergies can be a nightmare, however you make your journey. But flying can be far worse, as there is no rule that airlines have to consider their customers with allergies.
We have launched a social media campaign to bring attention to the difficulties people with allergies face when flying. As a part of our campaign, we have created billboards focused on the importance of ‘thinking before snacking on board’. Creative Nature is taking a stand and calling for a ban on the consumption of nut based products during flights. We believe that both the airline and other passengers are responsible to ensure the safety of everyone on board. We are hoping to make a change to make flying with allergies a much safer and more accommodating experience.
Check out our campaign across our social media channels now! We are hoping to make flying a much safer experience for those with allergies so be sure to interact and share our campaign across social media.
9 Tips for travellers who are flying.
- Check the food allergy policy (if they have one) of the airline before booking.
- Consider the time you fly. Generally, planes are deep cleaned overnight, which means morning flights are more likely to have less chance of cross contamination on any surfaces.
- Make sure you arrived extra early to check-in, giving you plenty of time to check if your requests for seating and early boarding are still possible. Ask if you can pre-board and wipe your seat and surrounding area.
- Before you travel, make sure your allergy medication is in your hand luggage, and therefore accessible at all times. Also, always carry documentary proof of need from your doctor, as you may well be questioned.
- Check that your allergy medication doesn’t expire during the time you are away.
- Beforehand check if you can bring your own food. It isn’t consistent, but some airlines will allow this. But, remember you will have to remove it from your carry-on luggage to go through customs. Therefore, it is important that your choice of food meets requirements. For example, fresh fruit and vegetables are not allowed.
- At every opportunity you get, inform the airline staff of your food allergy. When booking, boarding and before food is served.
- Carry a pack of wipes to clean down surfaces.
- Not all airlines are equal, so on request, some airlines will make announcements to the other travellers that there is a passenger on board with food allergies. However, this is not a legal requirement, and passengers can refuse to comply.
Airlines that are helpful to travellers with allergies:
- Virgin Atlantic – they have noticed that more options need to be available for people with allergies and intolerances onboard. We are happy to share our Magibles are now available on all Virgin Atlantic flights and our Berry Blend bars are available on flights to Tel Aviv!
- British Airways – none of their in-flight meals contain peanuts or peanut products. However, they can’t offer a peanut-free meal, because the facility where the meals are produced, may handle peanuts. They do provide guidance on ingredients used in most of their meals.
- EasyJet – will stop the sale of any products containing nut traces on board. However, they cannot guarantee a nut or allergen-free environment.
- Jet2, is the same as EasyJet, they’ll make an announcement that they won’t be selling nuts and peanuts. But, again, they cannot guarantee a nut or allergen-free environment.
The biggest problem for passengers suffering from allergies, is the lack of overall policy on what airlines should do.
And what most of the airlines agree on is that they cannot guarantee an allergen -free environment, and they cannot stop other passengers from eating nuts during the flight.
This is why we are launching our campaign at a time when many people will be flying on holiday.