Common Misconceptions of Peanut Allergy and Air Travel

Are you nervous about traveling with a food allergy? Be prepared and get educated!

Common Misconceptions:

• There is a risk of inhaling peanut on an airplane and reacting to it. Studies have shown that peanut does not circulate in the air and this is not a likely route of exposure. Peanut dust on unwashed surfaces that becomes inadvertently ingested, or false presumption that a food is safe that actually contains peanuts are the 2 most likely sources of potential peanut exposure in flight
• Only nut-free flights are safe. Use a commercial wipe to clean the seating area, in particular the tray well
• Once the airline has been contacted about the food allergen, the food is safe to consume. It is recommended that food allergic individuals do not consume airline-provided food, and bring their own source
• Airlines do not carry epinephrine. Passengers should travel with their own supply of self-injectable epinephrine, which is readily accessible in flight. Although airlines do carry epinephrine in their on-board medical kit, this may require an on-board medical provider or contact with ground-based providers to access, which may result in delay

https://www.jaci-inpractice.org/article/S2213-2198(18)30714-1/pdf