Fury as Passenger With Nut Allergy Claims Plane Was Covered in 'Peanuts'

Life and Trends Reporter

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A video showing a plane allegedly "covered" in peanuts on a flight with Ryanair, the Irish low-cost airline, has gone viral on TikTok.

The clip was posted by @lauren_jxoxo, a TikTok user based in Ireland who has a peanut allergy. The footage has received more than 55,000 views within a single day.

The video, taken while the poster was boarding a flight departing from Gran Canaria, the Spanish island, the other week, shows the floor of the aircraft scattered with some white specks. The clip has not been independently verified.

Seat on a plane; pile of peanuts. — From top: Seats on a plane; and a pile of peanuts. A video showing the floor of an aircraft "covered" in peanuts, captured by a passenger with an allergy to them, has gone viral on... iStock / Getty Images Plus

A caption reads that the flight was delayed by an hour without any notification. "However this wasn't my issue, upon boarding the flight, I noticed each and every aisle was covered in crisps, dirt, stains but worse of all, peanuts... @Ryanair do better!!!"

A spokesperson for Ryanair told Newsweek: "Our aircraft are cleaned during every turnaround. Where a passenger has a peanut allergy, crew on board will make an announcement to advise the other passengers and would not serve any products that contain nuts."

Around 4.6 million adults in the U.S. have a peanut allergy, according to a June 2021 study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. More than 800,000 of those sufferers appear to have developed the intolerance after 18 years of age.

The passenger's concern in the latest clip is understandable. Peanut allergies can lead to anaphylaxis, a medical emergency that can cause the following symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic, the nonprofit medical group:

Constriction of the airways
Swelling of the throat that makes it difficult to breathe
Severe drop in blood pressure (shock)
Rapid pulse
Dizziness, lightheadedness or loss of consciousness

@lauren_jxoxo
I flew home from Gran Canaria the other week with Ryanair, the flight was delayed by an hour without any notification. However this wasn’t my issue, upon boarding the flight, I noticed each and every aisle was covered in crisps, dirt, stains but worse of all, peanuts. As someone who has a peanut allergy, I notified cabin crew and the hostess told me they did not have time to clean the flight from the passengers before us.. have a look at the video below of when I was boarding the flight I have also submitted a complaints form to Ryanair who have told me there’s nothing that can be done regarding this issue now however they’ve passed my “feedback” to the relevant department @Ryanair do better!!! #ryanair #ryanairflight #fypシ #foryou
♬ original sound - Lauren_xo

An April 2021 study published in Clinical & Experimental Allergy, the official journal of the British Society for Allergy & Clinical Immunology, said that, while the fear of reactions to "airborne peanut" is a common concern, "there are no scientific reports on severe reactions with airborne peanut allergen."

The study added: "Allergic reactions to airborne peanut proteins are rare."

The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology says that peanut-allergic travelers concerned over the risk of "casual exposure to peanuts while on an airplane" can "rest assured that since the issue was first studied in 2004, data have consistently shown that peanut dust does not become airborne..."

The academy adds that "skin contact with either form of peanut is unlikely to cause any reaction beyond local irritation that can be washed off, and lastly that surfaces (including hands) that become contaminated with peanut can be easily washed off."

The caption shared with the latest viral post reads: "As someone who has a peanut allergy, I notified cabin crew and the hostess told me they did not have time to clean the flight from the passengers before us..."

The caption reads that the passenger filed a complaint with Ryanair. The woman added that the airline said "there's nothing that can be done regarding this issue now however they've passed my 'feedback' to the relevant department."