Woman with severe nut allergy boards flight. Then a fellow passenger keeps threatening to eat peanuts: ‘HAD A PANIC ATTACK’

Having a severe peanut allergy is no joke. Peanuts are everywhere, and some places, like bars and planes, have an even higher probability of nuts being around.

A TikToker recently went viral for expressing their fear of having a nut allergy on a plane. 

Chloe (@peanutfreezone1) says she has a severe peanut allergy. While boarding a plane seemingly headed for the United Kingdom, an attendant on the overhead speaker makes an announcement about best practices to keep everyone safe on the plane. However, Chloe's plane neighbor has some hesitations.

The video has 5.8 million views and over 267,200 likes.

Panic Attack on Plane

“To keep them safe, please don't open or eat anything containing nuts. If you have any questions, please ask,” the attendant said.

As this announcement plays, the man next to Chloe says, “Really?” in what seems like an annoyed tone. Chloe explains that the man continued to make comments about eating peanuts near her.

“Flying with a severe allergy is terrifying enough without having to worry about the people around you making it worse,” she says in the caption.

She continues, “The man who commented on my allergy at the start of the flight then proceeded to make comments throughout the entire journey about eating peanuts around me, along with two other people nearby. I felt incredibly uncomfortable and on edge for the whole flight.”

“I'm not asking everyone to understand exactly what it feels like — just to have some compassion and respect for the fact that, for me, this is a genuine fear for my safety,” Chloe ends the video caption.

She also shows herself in tears for a few seconds with the text overlay “*HAD A PANIC ATTACK.*”

‘How Can I Live Without Nuts for 2 Hours?'

The comments on this video are divided. Many understand Chloe's fears and are happy to be considerate of others with an allergy while flying. Others failed to understand the big deal and felt that their autonomy was being jeopardized unfairly.

“I don't understand how people find not being able to eat nuts for a few hours such an inconvenience lol,” says one comment.

“I bought a bag of peanut m&m's for my flight recently, heard this announcement and kept them in my bag and ate them when I got to my destination. It's really not a big sacrifice,” says another person.

“I was on a flight last week and they made an announcement about someone having a nut allergy, I actually thought it must be scary for people with allergies putting trust in soo many strangers,” a different comment mentions.

“Unless they are right up in your face the allergy isn't airborne,” someone else counters.

“I paid for it, I'm eating it when and wherever I want, PERIOD!” a different dissenting voice adds.

Do Peanuts on Planes Pose a Danger to People With Allergies?

A 2013 study, updated in 2020, published by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, asked the question, “Can the aroma of peanut from passengers eating peanut on a plane cause anaphylaxis in a peanut allergic passenger?” The study found the answer to be no.

According to the study, “the peanut allergic flier should rest assured that since the issue was first studied in 2004, data have consistently shown that peanut dust does not become airborne nor does inhaling peanut butter vapors provoke a reaction.”

The study does note that contact with surfaces that have traces of peanuts on a plane can be dangerous and suggests that passengers wipe down surfaces before taking a seat.

While peanut allergies are not necessarily airborne, there is something to be said about the stress and anxiety of being seated next to a peanut eater if you are allergic. As Chloe said, maybe it's not too much to ask for some compassion.

Subplot News has reached out to Chloe for comment via TikTok direct message and comment. We will update this story if she responds.

@peanutfreezone1 Flying with a severe allergy is terrifying enough without having to worry about the people around you making it worse. The man who commented on my allergy at the start of the flight then proceeded to make comments throughout the entire journey about eating peanuts around me, along with two other people nearby. I felt incredibly uncomfortable and on edge for the whole flight. What makes it even more upsetting is being told that I shouldn't fly or go on holiday because of my allergy. I shouldn't have to stop living my life because other people don't understand how serious an allergy can be. I'm not asking everyone to understand exactly what it feels like — just to have some compassion and respect for the fact that, for me, this is a genuine fear for my safety. #allergyawareness #foryoupage #flying #fyp #allergy ♬ original sound – Chloë

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