Singapore Airlines stops serving peanuts as snacks in all cabin classes

Cashews, macadamia nuts and walnuts continue to be served in Suites and First Class, while almonds and cashews continue to be served in Business Class and Premium Economy Class.PHOTO: AFP.

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) has stopped serving peanuts as snacks to customers in all its cabin classes.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesman for the national carrier confirmed that SIA implemented the move this month (April).

"Cashews, macadamia nuts and walnuts continue to be served in Suites and First Class, while almonds and cashews continue to be served in Business Class and Premium Economy Class," said the spokesman.

Snack packs containing peas and crackers have replaced peanuts in Economy Class.

When asked if it was in response to an incident in July last year where a toddler had an allergic reaction to peanuts that other passengers were eating, SIA did not comment.

On July 12 last year, three-year-old Marcus Daley was served a nut-free meal on Flight SQ217 from Singapore to Melbourne.

However, according to the boy's Australian father, Marcus started vomiting, his eyes swelled up and he could not speak properly after passengers opened packets of peanuts that had been served to them.

The incident sparked debate online on whether or not peanuts should be served on flights.

While an all-out peanut ban on flights is not the norm for airlines worldwide, several major carriers such as Qantas and Air New Zealand have stopped serving them.

After the July 12 incident, an SIA spokesman told ST that it was "reviewing the serving of nuts on board our flights".

According to an advisory on SIA's website, the airline will "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," says SIA.

It adds that it is "not unusual" for other passengers on its 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," says the advisory.

SIA requests that passengers "take every necessary precaution, bearing in mind the risk of exposure". - The Straits Times/Asia News Network