Taking your own food is the safest option. Reasons for this include:
- Airline staff serving the meal are not aware of the manufacturing processes. They may not be able to provide passengers with all the correct information when asked questions about the food content.
- Many meals on flights now have allergens listed; however, common allergens and labelling laws vary between countries.
- Eating a meal on a plane is like eating out in a restaurant, mistakes can be made, and the meal may accidentally contain the allergen. However, there is a greater risk if something goes wrong during air travel, as there is no access to emergency care.
- Even if an airline does provide allergen free meals, there is a risk that a passenger with food allergies could either get the wrong meal or not get a meal at all if it is accidentally given to someone else.