A Scottish couple with severe nut allergies reportedly left a KLM flight to Amsterdam after the airline declined their request to stop serving almond-topped banana bread or warn passengers about nut-containing products.
Pretoria Drever, 22, and her fiancé, Rhonan Kelly, 24, had planned a £700 getaway to celebrate their engagement and Rhonan’s upcoming birthday. The couple said they had informed KLM about their potentially life-threatening allergies in advance and alerted staff at Edinburgh Airport before boarding.
According to the couple, their requests were refused because the airline wanted to continue providing its standard onboard service. Fearing a potentially serious allergic reaction, they decided to leave the aircraft while it was still at the gate, missing their planned trip.
The couple described the experience as humiliating and called for stronger protections for passengers with severe allergies. They said the incident had damaged their confidence in flying and that they did not intend to travel with KLM again.
KLM expressed regret that the couple felt they had no choice but to leave. The airline’s policy states that it cannot guarantee a completely nut-free cabin or prevent passengers from consuming products containing nuts, although crew may ask passengers to keep certain products sealed in specific circumstances.
The incident has renewed debate over how airlines should balance standard onboard services with the safety concerns of passengers who have severe food allergies.
