I bring nuts onto almost all of my UAX flights, generally one of those nuts/M&M combos that make me feel as if I'm at least trying to be healthy while gorging on sweets. Anyway, there have been two instances in the last three months where I've had someone near me ask me not to open/eat the nuts.
One was a father travelling with his daughter who was allergic. They were two rows in front of me on a RJ-145. He asked nicely, almost pleading. I cut him off and said of course I won't open them. That would have been exceedingly selfish of me to eat. I know in advance people are allergic and if I absolutely needed to ensure I had something to eat I'd have chosen another snack. The other one was a very rude older woman. I find it extremely rare that older people have this allergy, but that's irrelevant. She saw my bag, sitting across from me in the exit row, and demanded I not open. I was a bit put off by her demand, and told her so, but I still didn't open them. See....this is a severe allergy, and the tone of the person asking is not relevant at all.
In the OP's instance, I have absolutely no sympathy for him. It's a cup of nuts, likely prior to a main meal. I like them too, but the talk of people getting upset over the FA reaction- and several saying they would ask for them out of spite and without regard to the health issue!!!- is abhorrent to me. Just because you paid for a business class ticket does not give you the right to disregard fellow passenger safety- no matter how or why they are near you.
This gets under my skin...the lack of regard for others....