FAA ban on e-cigarettes in checked luggage

[iceleven]

This doesn't really pertain to cruising, per se, but will affect some who have to fly in to their cruise port. I don't smoke yet this notice did alarm me to the fact that e-cigs can also cause fires. Yikes! Certainly wouldn't want a fire on a ship.

 

Airlines & Airports / Travel Tips Travel Tip: Flying with E-Cigarettes

 

Posted by PeterGreenberg.com on February 10, 2015 at 5:22 am Share on: Share on Facebook Tweet Share on Google+

Image credit: Wikimedia user TheNorlo

 

You may have heard the controversy over electronic cigarettes and whether they’re considered safe for your health or not. Well, the jury is still out, but when it comes to air travel, there are some definitive rules for flying with e-cigarettes.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently declared that e-cigarettes are banned from checked luggage. That means they have to go inside your carry-on bag.

Why? Because the devices use lithium batteries and there’s concern over e-cigarettes overheating or even catching fire inside the cargo hold.

That’s based on real-life situations. There have been two recent incidents of e-cigarettes inside checked bags that spontaneously caught fire.

Now, being able to bring e-cigarettes on board may sound like good news to those of you who can’t wait for your nicotine fix.

But not so fast. Currently, each airline makes its own rules about whether passengers can actually use electronic cigarettes in flight, and overwhelmingly, they’re not allowed.

Sorry, folks, you’ll just have to wait with the rest of the smokers until you get off the plane.

For more information, visit the Airlines & Airports archives.

[AZbeachboy]

Thanks for the info. I do not smoke but appreciate the concern for safety.

[SeaMystique]

Really? Some friends flew to the Midwest and back with ecigs in their luggage, last summer, and nothing happened. The article doesn't say if this is a new regulation or when it went into effect. Anyone know?

[RDC1]

Really? Some friends flew to the Midwest and back with ecigs in their luggage, last summer, and nothing happened. The article doesn't say if this is a new regulation or when it went into effect. Anyone know?

 

The article does say recently declared.

 

It was a Jan 23, 2015 announcement.

[RDC1]

Here is the news release on the FAA web site.

 

January 23–As the popularity of e-cigarettes increases, the FAA wants airlines to ensure passengers don’t put their e-cigarettes in checked baggage, when they can pose a fire hazard in the cargo compartment.

The FAA today released a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) making U.S. air carriers aware of a recent bulletin from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that described several incidents associated with e-cigarettes, as well as ICAO’s recommendation to ban the devices in checked baggage. ICAO is the arm of the United Nations that develops and disseminates suggested standards for the international aviation community.

In several incidents both inside and outside the transportation industry, e-cigarettes have overheated or caught fire when the heating element was accidentally activated. Last August, an e-cigarette in checked baggage stowed in an airliner’s cargo hold caused a fire that forced an evacuation of the aircraft. The danger may be increased when users modify and rebuild their reusable e-cigarette devices and interchange original and aftermarket batteries, heating elements, and vaporizing components.

The FAA SAFO recommends that operators follow the ICAO bulletin and require passengers to carry e-cigarettes and related devices solely in the aircraft cabin, where overheating or fire can be observed and handled more quickly. The agency encourages airlines to communicate this new policy to passengers as widely as possible through their websites, press releases, at ticket purchase, during the check-in process and by other established means to inform passengers about hazardous materials regulations and policies.

[beg3yrs]

Really? Some friends flew to the Midwest and back with ecigs in their luggage, last summer, and nothing happened.

 

The article didn't say every single ecig in checked luggage would ignite.

 

Many people run stop signs and don't get a ticket or get in an accident either.

 

Don't base your decisions on a single event.

Edited February 11, 2015 by beg3yrs

[AZbeachboy]

The article didn't say every single ecig in checked luggage would ignite.

 

Many people run stop signs and don't get a ticket or get in an accident either.

 

Don't base your decisions on a single event.

 

If it is recomended you can be sure that is will become a regulation fairly quickly. But, what is that one that does catch fire happends to be the one on you flight, or you esig.

[beg3yrs]

If it is recomended you can be sure that is will become a regulation fairly quickly. But, what is that one that does catch fire happends to be the one on you flight, or you esig.

 

That's my point exactly. I shouldn't have tried to be subtle.

[Te Aroha]

It has always been advised that you never put lithium batteries in your checked luggage. This includes phones, computers, tablets or any other item that uses these batteries.

[LovetheSea]

Wow. Thanks for the heads up! My husband uses E-Cigarettes.

[6rugrats]

Really? Some friends flew to the Midwest and back with ecigs in their luggage, last summer, and nothing happened.

 

That's like saying, "I crossed the street yesterday in traffic, and a car didn't hit me".

[iceleven]

Not taking this personally but does anyone know why this thread has been taken out of the regular list of threads? Does this mean this thread was put somewhere else or has the Moderator deemed this a topic not appropriate for Cruise Critic. Just curious as to how threads disappear.

 

OK, I think I found my own answer. I guess it was having the entire article posted here. I still think it is important information that should be shared as a safety issue on the ship but I now understand the presentation of the info is more important. OK. I can deal with that.

 

The posting of blocks of text obtained from anywhere on the Internet, online newspapers, web sites, Facebook and other social media sites, magazines, etc., defeats the purpose of our Cruise Boards. All of this information is available to everyone online, and doesn't add to the idea of sharing firsthand experiences and cruise advice. Also, the majority of information out there is protected by an author's individual copyright. Therefore, we will remove such information from the message boards. However, linking via url to the information is allowed.

 

The one exception to this would be Cruise Line press releases. You may post these word for word on the boards, if you clearly indicate the source.

Edited February 11, 2015 by iceleven

[6rugrats]

It's also against CC rules to discuss removed threads. However, it looks as if your thread was just moved to the Cruise Air forum, as it's a discussion related to air travel.

 

You are right though; you are allowed to post links, but not entire blocks of texts from outside articles.

[perditax]

I am a staunch supporter of cigs even though I don't use them myself--many loved ones have quit analogs with ecigs. But those batteries DO blow up. That said, I don't know if the tobacco industry leaned on the FAA for this, since lots of other stuff uses similar batteries, I would think.

[FlyerTalker]

But those batteries DO blow up. That said, I don't know if the tobacco industry leaned on the FAA for this, since lots of other stuff uses similar batteries, I would think.

Which is why the restriction is on the batteries. Would be the same for ANY product using them. And just because there hasn't been a PR campaign about other products using lithium batteries doesn't mean they are OK.

 

However, since the vast majority of users probably don't know the details about their batteries....that's likely why they are specifying e-cigs.

 

Remember...this is your government in action!!

Edited February 14, 2015 by FlyerTalker