A mum from Tooting has told of her "nightmare" experience after her daughter collapsed and suffered an allergic reaction to nuts on a British Airways flight, as reported by the Daily Mail.

Joanna Jones, 39, was flying to London from Antigua when her 14-year-old daughter Poppy needed oxygen after a passenger opened a packet of peanuts on board.

Before the eight-hour flight, two announcements were reportedly made by the crew as they asked passengers not to eat nuts as Poppy was allergic.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Joanna said: “When we boarded the crew asked passengers not to eat peanuts as my daughter has an allergy.

“As we took off, I saw a man around ten rows in front eating nuts.

“I was worried and asked if we could be moved but there was no availability.

“The crew asked him to stop eating the nuts, but he ignored the requests and carried on.”

A spokesperson for British Airways told the Daily Mail that crews followed all procedures and made announcements asking passengers not to eat nuts during the flight.

Poppy suddenly went into anaphylaxis and was saved after Joanna gave her two shots from her EpiPens.

The pens are a life-saving medication when someone suffers from a severe allergic reaction.

However, Poppy's condition worsened and a nurse on board rushed to her aid after an appeal was made by crews for an onboard doctor.

After landing at Gatwick Airport, Poppy was then rushed to hospital.

Joanna said: "It was a nightmare for all of us and I really thought she might die.

“The pilot declared a medical emergency and at one point they were considering making an emergency landing but, in the end, he decided to carry on to Gatwick.

“It was a horrible experience, and it could have all been avoided if this man had listened to the announcements and not eaten nuts.

“People seem to think this isn’t a serious issue, but it is, and the airlines should do more they should make it illegal for people to eat nuts on board a plane if someone is allergic to them.

“All the crew could do was ask him to stop eating them, but he carried on and just didn’t seem to care that he was putting my daughter’s life at risk.”

Joanna says that airlines should do more to protect people who have nut allergies and that nuts should be banned from all flights.

She said that action should be taken against passengers who refuse to follow the rules.

Joanna explained: “Surely someone’s life is worth more than eating a few nuts ? It’s crazy that more isn’t being done about this issue.

“All the cabin crew can do is ask someone not to eat nuts and that’s it – it’s ridiculous.

“I honestly thought she was going to die and it’s now put me off flying in the future because I just can’t take the risk again.

"Poppy and I feel that it is in others best interests that people know what can happen and we hope for a change in legislation to ban nuts completely onboard flights and for their to be consequences for those who ignore this.”

A spokesperson for British Airways said: “The safety and welfare of our customers is always our priority, and we take the issue of allergens very seriously.

“Our crew cared for a customer who appeared to suffer an allergic reaction onboard, and they arranged for paramedics to meet the aircraft.”

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