Singapore Airlines Stops Serving Peanuts On Flights

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has stopped serving peanuts as snacks to customers in all its cabin classes. However, the airline will continue to serve other nuts —including cashews, macadamias and almonds on its flights.

TPG reached out to Singapore Airlines, and they confirmed that the new policy had been in effect since April 2018 and would apply to all its cabin classes. Snack packs with peanuts had been replaced with peas and crackers in Economy Class, according to an SIA spokesperson. Additionally, cashews, macadamia nuts and walnuts will continue to be served in Suites and First Class, while almonds and cashews will still be given out in Business Class and Premium Economy Class.

The new policy comes after several mid-flight peanut allergy incidents, including one that occurred last July on a SIA flight. The airline began reviewing its peanut policy after a three-year-old with a severe peanut allergy suffered a potentially life-threatening reaction when passengers around him opened packs of peanuts. In recent days, a 9-year-old old boy suffered a near-fatal allergic reaction after consuming peanuts on board an American Airlines flight from Aruba to New York in March.

Singapore Airlines now joins several other airlines in changing its peanut policy. Airlines including Qantas, Air New Zealand and British Airways have stopped handing out peanuts as snacks to customers.

The airline's travel info request page now includes this alert on its page:

"A nut-free special meal does not contain peanuts and tree nuts (including almonds, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts, pecans and macadamias), and their derivatives. We'll make every reasonable effort to accommodate your request for a nut-free meal. However, we're unable to provide a nut-free cabin or guarantee an allergy-free environment on board. It's not unusual for other passengers on our flights to be served meals and snacks containing nuts or their derivatives. We also have no control over passengers consuming their own snacks or meals on board, which may contain nuts or their derivatives. We request that you take every necessary precaution, bearing in mind the risk of exposure. If you have any concerns about your fitness to travel, we encourage you to share this information and discuss your travel plans with your doctor."

If you or your travel companion(s) have a peanut allergy, there is no need to panic. Be sure to take the necessary precautions when traveling with a peanut allergy: Call the airline and make them aware of your condition at least 24 hours before the flight, bring all the medications you think you'll need and take allergy medication before the flight, if necessary.

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Featured Image by DronG// Getty Images.