New Article Provides Insights into the Risk of Allergic Reactions on Commercial Flights 

A new article by Dr Paul Turner, an eminent authority on allergies at Imperial College, London and member of the Anaphylaxis UK Clinical & Scientific Panel states that the risk of a reaction for an individual with a food allergy on a commercial flight is much lower than on the ground in day-to-day life. The article, titled “How Common Are Allergic Reactions During Commercial Flights? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”, in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, offers new insights into the risk of accidental allergic reactions when travelling on a commercial airplane.  

The article offers reassurance that allergic reactions during flights are uncommon and that when taking precautions, such as wiping your seat down with antibacterial wipes and bringing your own food with you for the flight, your risk of having an allergic reaction is low. The paper estimates that there were 0.66 allergic reactions during a flight per million passengers (1 accidental allergic reaction for every 1.5 million passengers). It is reassuring to note that despite the global increase in air travel, there has not been an increase in the number of allergic reactions on commercial flights.  

For more information and tips for managing your allergy whilst travelling read our travelling with serious allergies page. 

Dr Paul Turner will be speaking at the Anaphylaxis UK Business Symposium and discuss the prevalence of allergies in the UK.