Teacher’s £10,000 Honeymoon at Risk Over Airline’s Refusal to Ban Nuts on Board
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A primary school teacher from Kent is facing a devastating choice: risk her life by boarding a flight that serves peanuts or abandon her dream honeymoon in Africa. Bethany Roads, 27, who has lived with a severe airborne peanut allergy since childhood, has spoken out about her experience with Qatar Airways after being told her life-threatening condition would not prompt changes to in-flight services.
Bethany, from Sidcup, arranged through a tour operator to travel to Tanzania and Zanzibar later this year, spending £10,000 on what was meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure with her fiancé, Connor Burns. With her food allergy typically handled well in the past, she hadn’t expected it would jeopardise her plans. The couple is due to marry in August, and this trip marks the culmination of their nine-year relationship.
After booking the holiday, Bethany’s travel agent agreed to inform the airline about her medical requirements, including the severity of her airborne allergy. However, when Bethany contacted Qatar Airways herself to confirm, she was shocked to learn that nuts would still be served on her flight and that no announcement would be made to alert fellow passengers to her situation.
In their correspondence, Qatar Airways advised Bethany to carry her EpiPens, use sanitising wipes, and wear a face mask as precautions. When Bethany asked whether staff could issue a request for passengers to avoid nuts during the flight, she was told this would not be possible. Attempting to advocate for her own safety, Bethany said she even offered to make an announcement herself but was warned doing so could result in her removal from the aircraft for contravening the airline’s policies.
‘When I’ve flown before, airlines always accommodated my allergy,’ Bethany explained. ‘They’d make an announcement and refuse to sell nut products during the flight. Until now, I thought that was the standard for everyone’s safety.’ The response from Qatar Airways, she said, left her feeling unprotected and anxious. ‘They said it’s not intentional, but it can still kill me. This is a clear risk of anaphylaxis.’
Qatar Airways’ official allergy policy, as stated on their website, confirms that passengers with allergies may be asked to sign a waiver and that the airline cannot guarantee a nut-free environment. The airline’s spokesperson told us: ‘We do our best to accommodate passengers with allergy needs, but as our flights are open to the public, we cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment. The safety and comfort of all our passengers remain our primary concern.’
For Bethany, the prospect of abandoning her dream honeymoon is devastating: ‘It’s sent me into panic. Do I take the risk and hope for understanding from other passengers, or do we cancel everything?’ she reflected. ‘Many people don’t understand how dangerous airborne allergies can be. Having two EpiPens isn’t always enough if you’re thousands of feet in the air.’
Consumer advocates and allergy campaigners have long argued that airlines should do more to protect passengers with serious allergies, pointing out that in-flight medical emergencies are particularly hazardous when specialist help is not immediately available. Bethany, echoing these concerns, said: ‘If airline policy means risking a passenger’s life, something needs to change. I simply want to travel safely on my honeymoon—something everyone deserves.’
The issue brings renewed attention to the debate around food allergies and air travel, with many major airlines differing in their approach to allergen management. While some carriers commit to nut-free flights and encourage open communication between passengers and crew, others, like Qatar Airways, maintain that absolute guarantees are impossible.
For Bethany and her soon-to-be husband, an agonising decision lies ahead: bravely board the flight with the hope of escaping harm, or scrap their holiday plans altogether. As the wedding date approaches, the couple must weigh their dream against Bethany’s safety and well-being.