News.com.au reports that Canada's transportation regulator has ordered Air Canada to accommodate passengers with severe nut allergies by seating them in new nut-free zones on aircraft.

"The agency has determined that a buffer zone, including an announcement within that zone, is the appropriate accommodation for persons with disabilities due to their allergy to peanuts or nuts," the Canadian Transportation Agency said in its ruling.

The agency has only received two complaints from passengers in 4 years.

One of the complainants had hidden in the airplane washroom for 40 minutes while nutty snacks were served to other passengers on a flight from Frankfurt to Toronto.

In another case, a traveller was removed and was rebooked on another flight two-and-a-half hours later in which "all nuts were removed".

Other passengers on the second flight were also asked not to bring nuts onboard.

In its ruling, the federal regulator noted the nut allergies in these cases were so extreme that nuts did not have to be ingested.

Rather, the mere presence of nuts in the immediate environment was "enough to cause concern".

The three-member panel deemed these allergies to be tantamount to an impairment or disability, which airlines must accommodate.

Air Canada argued it should be up to the passengers to take precautions against exposure to nuts.

It does not serve peanuts on flights, but does serve smokehouse almonds, cashews and other snacks which may contain nuts.

"If a passenger is allergic or sensitive to products that may be found in the aircraft cabin, it is the passenger's responsibility to bring the proper medication and to have the proper protection," Air Canada said in its submission.

But allergy specialists said peanut proteins have been found in commercial airline air filters, demonstrating they may become aerosolised in flight and remain suspended in aircraft cabins.

The regulator said creating a nut-free buffer zone is the best solution, and gave Air Canada 30 days to come up with a recommended size of the buffer.

In spite of the causal divergence in the various reports, what happened next is not disputed. The plane was set upon by a hungry bear that was attracted to the delicious odors emanating from within.

In the ravenous predator's quest for food, the aircraft suffered extensive damage to the fuselage and both wheels. What happened next is where this story becomes really, really interesting.

While most folks would entrust their plane to the competent hands of a qualified aviation mechanic, this pilot was made of more capable stuff. After fitting the mangled flying machine with two new wheels and selectively applying several cases of duct tape and some packaging cellophane, he had patched it up to the point that it could actually fly. He then took to the skies and flew his duct taped, cellophaned 1958 Piper Super Cub home.

"High-tech's playing a growing role in underwear," said the fair's fashion manager Sophie Morin.

"Take ultra-sounds for example, now used as well as laser technology to cut and construct garments without seaming or stitching."

Also touted is a range of French lingerie called Milkshake in a fabric made of milk proteins that contains 10 amino acids to hydrate the skin. I wonder what flavours they come in?

"The knit is as soft as satin," said Morin.

The cupless anti-wrinkle bra designed by Decollete is supposed to be thrown on at bedtime keeping breasts apart to prevent the formation of feared crinkles that appear in the night.

The smart bra from Slovenia's Lisca boasts cups made of memory foam that ebbs and flows with body-heat - a NASA patented technology from the 1960s.

Some 20,000 lingerie types from more than 100 nations are due to attend the Paris fair, bringing together more than 500 brands, including Brazil's LZ, flying in with an ultra-light bra that weighs in at 67 grammes (two ounces).