Woman, 28, with severe nut allergy ‘not allowed to fly’ with major airline

A WOMAN with a severe nut allergy was today "not allowed to fly" with a major airline.

Sophie Marriott, 28, said she had been told by Cathay Pacific she would be prohibited from getting onto the flight to Sydney Australia tonight due to the dangers of her being affected by peanuts.

It comes after she was left desperately trying to persuade them not to serve peanuts to other passengers in her cabin.

She said she signed an indemnity form accepting there was still a risk from other passengers bringing their on nuts on board, as long as nuts weren't handed out as a cocktail snack - with the airline giving her the OK to fly.

But just hours later she said the airline again contacted her, changing their mind.

Speaking to The Sun Online, Sophie said: "I signed an indemnity form on the provision they wouldn't serve peanuts for the flight there.

"But this afternoon I heard back from Cathay Pacific, and they said I'm not allowed to get on the flight unless I get medical clearance from my doctor."

With barely five hours until her flight tonight, Sophie said it would be impossible for her NHS doctor to go through the full form.

She said the airline told her they could not guarantee no one would eat nuts while on the plane.

But Sophie, who travels with an epi-pen, said as long as not everyone was eating peanuts given out by crew, she would be happy to ask a passenger sitting next to her not to eat nuts.

She said she had been offered a refund, but it did nothing to allay her devastation at missing the family holiday for a friend's wedding Down Under.

The young woman, of Saint Albans, Herts, said her own doctors had taken issue with one of the paragraphs in the statement given by Cathay Pacific, which reads: “The passenger’s peanut and/or other nut allergy condition do not pose any serious risks to his/her health given the conditions inflight as stated in attached.”

She explained: “It says that there would be no risk of me having an allergic reaction.
“But I’m still at risk, there’s always a risk.”

She added: "I don't know what I'm going to do."

A spokesperson for Cathay Pacific said the airline could not guarantee a peanut and/or tree nuts-free environment.

They said: "We treat nut allergy cases seriously and our customer’s wellbeing is our primary concern.

"After reiterating verbally and in writing about the suitability of our cabin environment with regards to her conditions, Miss Marriot has acknowledged our policy and expressed her willingness to travel by completing a declaration, one which we share with passengers with similar conditions.

"Since receipt of Miss Marriot’s signed declaration, some inconsistencies have been reported and highlighted concerning the severity of Miss Marriot’s allergy. In the interest of Miss Marriot’s safety and that of our other passengers, we have requested an independent doctor to assess and verify Miss Marriot’s suitability to travel.

"In the event a doctor is unable to certify a passenger fit to travel, a full refund of the air fare will be offered.”