Nut allergy pair ‘told to sit in plane loos when in-flight meal served'

Shannen and Sundeep Sahota, from Wolverhampton, say they alerted staff that they were severely allergic to nuts on three occasions before the trip with their parents.

But they were horrified when they picked up the menus on the Emirates flight to find the curry dish listed and quickly raised the matter with cabin crew.

The pair say they told the crew they could potentially die from the airborne nut particles and claim they were told the only option was to sit in the toilets for the seven-hour flight

Shannen, 24, and Sundeep, 34, who carry epi-pens for their allergies had spent £5,000 to take their parents to Dubai and Singapore as a surprise present for the couple’s 60th birthdays.

Shannen, an analyst, said: “We felt so degraded and embarrassed – it was horrible and it was meant to be a happy occasion but the start of our holiday was ruined.

“We had contacted Emirates beforehand to make sure they were aware of our allergies, and when we arrived at the airport and checked our bags in, we let them know and they said it was all fine and that it was in the system.

“When we spoke to the people who greet you at the plane, they said it was fine and showed us to our seats.

“We had bought our own food and snacks with us as we just didn’t want to take the risk as our allergies are so severe.

“When we realised what they were serving we were just completely panicked and started frantically buzzing for the staff to come over as it was too late to get off.”

She said she told an air stewardess that her nut allergy could be potentially fatal, and added: “She asked if we had any medication for it and we always carry epi-pens, but they’re only for emergencies and you need to go straight to hospital after.

“She suggested that we sit at the back of the plane, but we explained that the nut particles would already be in the air.

“She said the only other option was for us to go and sit in the plane toilets – with cushions and blankets for the rest of the seven hours.”

Shannen and Sundeep declined to spend the seven hour flight in the loos and instead spent the rest of the flight with blankets over their heads to try and block out any nut particles. They had been travelling to Dubai on Sunday, April 8, from Birmingham International Airport when the chicken biriyani was served with fried cashew nuts.

Shannen added: “We want to raise awareness for other people suffering from nut allergies – because it’s not just about us and it can be a really difficult thing to live with.”

An Emirates spokesperson said: “We are sorry to hear about Ms Sahota’s complaint. Emirates tries to cater to all passenger specific needs by offering a number of special meals that cover as many medical, dietary and religious requirements as possible.

"However, Emirates cannot guarantee completely nut-free flights.

"We’ve looked into Ms Sahota’s booking and our records do not reflect any mention of a nut allergy. All passengers who alert us of a nut allergy prior to travel are informed of our policy and it is also outlined on our website.

“When alerted during the flight, our crew tried their best to offer Ms Sahota and her brother alternative locations in an open space in back of the aircraft cabin to minimise their proximity to other passengers who may be consuming meals with nuts.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused and our customer care team will be in touch with Miss Sahota directly.”