A STUDENT from Newton Abbot, who has a severe nut allergy, has made a documentary highlighting the challenges faced when flying.

Libby Evans, 23, is severely allergic to peanuts and has faced serious problems travelling by air from being served food containing peanuts, despite notifying the airline, to intimidation from fellow passengers.

After hearing similar stories, she was determined to raise awareness and push for change in the aviation industry.

Now, her short, seven minute documentary Airborne Allergies: Life on the Line highlighting the struggles people with severe allergies face when flying is available to watch on YouTube.

For the film, Libby interviewed BBC presenter Georgie Palmer, who was kicked off a flight due to her daughter’s peanut allergy; Julianne Ponan, founder of allergen-free brand Creative Nature who shared many terrifying flight experiences; and Linds, a travel enthusiast and allergy podcaster.

Allergy UK will be publishing an article about Libby’s experiences and the project.

Libby was four when her allergy was diagnosed after her mother gave her peanut butter on bread.

She explained: ‘Almost immediately, I felt my throat itch and my face began to swell.

‘Although very young, I distinctly remember the sensation and knew something was seriously wrong.

‘I was rushed to hospital by ambulance, where a test confirmed I had a severe peanut allergy.

‘Since then, I’ve had to be extremely vigilant.

‘I always carry Epipens with me.

‘As a passionate traveller, my allergy has never held me back.’

But her experiences travelling to South East Asia, Central America, Africa, and Australia have highlighted a troubling trend: many airlines don’t take food allergies seriously.

She has been served food with peanuts and once the crew handed out 500 bags of peanuts, all both despite notifing them of her allergy.

She said: ‘It often feels like my allergy is treated as a dietary choice rather than a serious medical condition.

‘I’ve been told to wear a surgical mask, cover my head with a blanket, or even leave the plane.’

Peanuts contain sticky proteins that can linger on surfaces longer than other foods. If these surfaces aren’t properly cleaned, it could lead to allergic reactions.

The real risk isn’t airborne peanut particles but rather the transfer of peanut proteins through contact.

She said: ‘The reality is, peanuts and nuts do not need to be served on planes. Passengers can survive an entire flight without nuts, and eliminating this risk would be simple.

‘I’ve generally found European and UK airlines are more accommodating.

‘Unfortunately, other passengers often react negatively.

‘I vividly remember a flight back from Greece last summer when I was alone.

‘The crew announced peanuts were not to be consumed during the flight, and a group of men behind me began shouting threatening comments like, “I’ll shove nuts down whoever has the allergy’s throat,” and “Who cares about allergies, it’s just attention seeking.”

‘This behaviour was both frightening and intimidating, but I believe it stems from a lack of education about how serious allergies are.

‘After doing more research, I realised that this is a global issue.

‘Raising awareness and providing education is critical to prompting change in the aviation industry.

‘Creating the documentary was a challenging but rewarding experience, and I’m proud to share it.’

Watch the documentary here: https://youtu.be/UizzZwTlB00