No evidence nut allergens spread via aircraft ventilation systems, study finds

People with nut allergies should not be worried about the spread of allergens through aeroplane air conditioning systems, the academics concluded, but they should ask to be allowed to board first so they can clean their seat area. Photograph: David Lyons/Alamy

It’s the airline PA request that will be familiar to millions: please refrain from eating peanut-based foods during the flight to protect a passenger with allergies.

But now the largest review of its kind suggests aircraft nut ban announcements are “unlikely to be effective”, and may even give people with nut allergies a false sense of security.