As more and more people use electronic cigarettes to help them stop smoking and get away from tobacco cigarettes, concerns about travelling with your e-cigarettes and e-liquids are increasing concern. There are lots of rules when you are flying abroad so it is a good idea to understand how these rules affect your vape products so you don’t run into problems.
Carrying Devices In Luggage
Most of the time, UK airlines will get you to put your electronic cigarette in your luggage but there is some concern about lithium-ion batteries. If you use an e-cigarette that uses one of these batteries to power it, it is best to keep your battery in your hand luggage while the actual device goes in the luggage.
Currently, EasyJet, British Airways and Ryanair will let you travel with small containers of e-liquids in your luggage as long as they are under 100ml in size. So while you can buy wholesale, don’t plan to take really larger containers with you on holiday. You can sometimes carry them in hand luggage, but they need to be clear plastic containers that can be checked before you board.
Security At The Airport
People have expressed concern about getting through security with electronic cigarettes and there are some stories of people who have been stopped when the e-cigs showed up in the luggage. But as they become more common, this is less of a problem. And when you tell the security people that you are carrying an electronic cigarette and vaping products, then this will make sense with what they see.
It is best to remove the atomizer from the cartridge and pop this through the tray, so they can inspect it if needed. That way you can head off any problems, delays or embarrassing situations at security.
Vaping At The Airport
There are still variations in the rules around vaping in the airport, but most major airports now have vaping areas where you can go and use your e-cigarette without breaking the rules. Heathrow, for example, lets people vape on the premises but not beyond the gate area. And when you carry them in your hand luggage, make sure you check with your airline that this is okay.
Other airports are a little less generous – Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham are all airports where e-cigarettes cannot be used in the terminal. There are also different rules abroad so check this out before you travel as some places are pretty strict against vaping and you can run into problems.
Vaping On A Plane
At the moment, it is almost universal that you can’t vape on an aeroplane. Ryanair is the only exception, but you can only use the smokeless cigarettes they sell onboard, not your own electronic cigarettes. And these seem to be a pretty low-quality product when you are used to high-quality e-liquids!
Don’t be tempted to sneak into the toilets for a quick vape either as most of them have alarms that will pick up on the smoke and go off – this could land you in big trouble with a line or worse so don’t take the chance.
