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Anglo-Spanish airline group IAG, the owner of BA, is taking steps to avoid falling foul of EU ownership rules in the event of a no-deal Brexit, Spanish newspaper El Pais reported on Saturday. Britain is set to leave the bloc on March 29, but with less than five months to go, PM Theresa May has yet to secure a withdrawal deal. A no-deal scenario could jeopardise operating rights for airline carriers that don’t meet EU ownership rules, which require European operators to be majority owned and operated in the bloc. IAG, which is also the parent company of Spain’s Iberia, has been in contact with the Spanish government since at least last month in an effort to ensure it will meet the ownership rules, El Pais reported, citing Spanish government and EU sources. IAG is registered in Spain but has diverse global shareholders. After Brexit, UK shareholders will no longer count towards the required 50% minimum EU ownership. IAG did not comment directly on the report but a spokesperson said the airline group remained confident the UK and EU would reach a comprehensive air transport agreement.<br/>

American Airlines will soon allow passengers with nut allergies to board their flights early, spokesperson Michelle Mohr said Thursday The airline said in a statement that the new policy will start Dec. 12. "Customers with nut allergies who would like to board flights early to wipe down surfaces may ask to do so at the gate,” the statement read. “Though we do not serve peanuts in flight, we can’t guarantee our customers won’t be exposed to peanuts or other tree nuts during their trip. We strongly encourage those with allergies to take all necessary medical precautions before flying.” The statement also explained the "lag time" between announcement and implementation date is to give the airline time to communicate the update with team members across 350-plus airports "to make sure everyone understands and moves forward the same way."<br/>