I read a study from American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, which said there is “no evidence” that peanut dust becomes airborne. However, I have read several news articles about people with severe nut and peanut allergies having bad reactions:

https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/co-down-mum-could-died-23332855

In another case, a 14 year old girl had a reaction that caused her to lose consciousness after a passenger kept eating nuts next to her:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10893187/Call-airline-peanut-ban-girl-14-collapses-mid-flight.html

I know that in science, a lack of evidence of something happening under controlled conditions doesn’t mean that something isn’t possible or doesn’t happen. For a long time, there was also no evidence that germs existed. Blaming the reactions on “hysteria” seems like ableism to me, similar to how people used to blame ME/CFS on “laziness”. With the peanut allergy on flights, I’m not sure there’s an ethical way to properly test this.

I developed a severe peanut allergy when I was 10. I’m 35 now. I went into anaphylaxis from eating two milk chocolate m&m’s that had traces of peanut. I developed this allergy shortly after my last ever flight. I’ve never eaten actual peanuts.

I have family in New Zealand, which is very far away from me. I haven’t visited them ever since I was 10. Is flying too risky for me? I’m going to be flying over the ocean most of the flight, and all my Epi Pens do is give me an extra 20 or so minutes to get to the hospital.

  • frazw@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    If you can smell something, part of it is airborne. Pretty sure I know what peanuts smell like.

    I’ve been on a lot of flights and never been served peanuts since the 90s. I was under the impression they did not serve peanuts on flights any more but those stories you linked say otherwise, but of course you can’t stop people bringing their own.

    I think you have to speak to a doctor and maybe see what the options are.