Airplanes and Vaping doable?

[brindner]

Yeah, I would never even try to get it past the security checkpoint. I'm not too keen on the idea of bringing anything through that the security officers would have to ask me about, especially since 9/11. You never know when you'll be held up for a few hours.

[vapourhead]

Originally Posted by span

AirTran (in early july and august) expressly forbid bringing an e-cig through security.. Said that it had a heating element that could be a security hazard. I didn't test them and simply put it in my check-in luggage, making sure to clearly label all my gear... Didn't want to risk tsa throwing it out

Wow.

I hadn't even considered this.

I just stuck it in my pocket and put my jacket into the bin to be x-rayed. No one said a word at SFO or DEN...

[SymmetryBreaking]

I've had SFO miss things that really shouldn't have been in my carry-on on numerous occasions, it's pretty lax as far as US airports go.

I wouldn't worry about getting held up for a few hours by TSA, or anyone else for that matter, unless you actually give them a valid reason.

Hell, I even had a locking knife confiscated by security in belfast, and apparently in Northern Ireland that's a class A weapon! (whoops)

I mean, I had it to cut cheese and spread mustard, and it was obvious that I wasn't IRA, so the police just made me fill out a form and let me go - in about 10 minutes - with a warning that possession of a class A weapon carries up to a 10 year sentence! *phew*

So yeah, people worry way too much about airport security- take it from someone who gets searched much more often than the background population because of the way I look and has been on probably 100 flights all over the world since 9/11 - and accidentally had tons of stuff confiscated, from spoons to screwdrivers to knives (living out of a backpack ). You're never going to be held up for hours over an e-cig unless they're illegal in the locale, like HK, and even then it's unlikely if you're just a visitor.

[13ways]

E-cigs are not a prohibited item. Desregard what the airline says about them if they tell you it can not go. Heating Elements are not considered a threat to an aircraft or its passengers, I let a toaster go through today. Oh, I work for TSA in case anyone wondered. I have seen a few PVs go through and when I see them I just run a test on the bag (they look rather bad on the x-ray even when I know what it is) and then just talk about vaping with them for a bit, depending on how busy it is of course. Airport security is nothing to be scared of for a vaper just dont have more than 100ml of liquid in a single bottle and youll be fine. Also keep in mind that nothing in American airports is confiscated. You do have the option to check it in a checked bag, mail it home, or give it to someone outside the checkpoint.

[Webby]

Originally Posted by 13ways

E-cigs are not a prohibited item. Desregard what the airline says about them if they tell you it can not go. Heating Elements are not considered a threat to an aircraft or its passengers, I let a toaster go through today. Oh, I work for TSA in case anyone wondered. I have seen a few PVs go through and when I see them I just run a test on the bag (they look rather bad on the x-ray even when I know what it is) and then just talk about vaping with them for a bit, depending on how busy it is of course. Airport security is nothing to be scared of for a vaper just dont have more than 100ml of liquid in a single bottle and youll be fine. Also keep in mind that nothing in American airports is confiscated. You do have the option to check it in a checked bag, mail it home, or give it to someone outside the checkpoint.

13 -

You're TSA? Good to know. Do us all a favor and let us know if the rules change. You'll probably be the first to know -

As far as vaping on a plane? I do it all the time. Ryan Air is by far the most lenient (i.e; don't care) and the only time I ever had a problem was flying TACA back into New Orleans. Outgoing flight/aduana was a breeze, but coming back I had to do some fancy talking to prove my 510 wasn't a dope smoking device. I flashed my business card, offered to pull up several sites online but it wasn't until a supervisor stepped up and said he knew what they were and I could move along.

Even then, I don't think it was a legal question - more of a "whazit" issue.

Also, good point on the "nothing is confiscated" comment. I think most travelers don't realize this or think they will look suspicious if they balk at tossing their full grooming product bottles or e-cigs in the trash. If someone drove you to the airport or you have plenty of time before your flight (always advised) go back out and find a gift shop that has stamps and mail it to yourself or a friend. I did this with a prized heirloom pocket knife my grandfather gave me. If I had been forced to miss my flight or tossed it in the trash, I would have been sick.

[Mr. Tasty Vapor]

I damned sure want to see how this develops. And I'm sure whatever dribble the FDA pans out will determine what airlines will decide with vaping on planes. Although it's going to be tough calling with someone vaping in the lavvy.

And my concern is that the only places I fly to, is in Russia and that's a 13 hour flight. Without vaping, I'd be reduce to dropping e-liquid under my tongue until I could get off the damned plane.

[13ways]

Webby RIAflight would be better when it comes to rule changes for the airlines and I do not see the regulations for TSA ever changing for e-cigs since they cant really hurt anyone. Even if the FDA puts a ban on them that will only mean they are "gray market" therefore not illegal to possess or use just to sell.

[Superstargoddess]

Originally Posted by Blooper

So has anyone been through Airport security with an ecig? Are they allowed on planes and has anyone vaped on the plane? Or do they confiscate them like they do for lighters.

I wouldn't vape on a plane unless everyone knew about it. I'm too paranoid to end up on CNN for the plane being diverted because of suspicious terrorist activity. ><

As for lighters, I have an interesting story about that. I went to Las Vegas in 2004 and 2005, so this was post 9/11. I had a lighter in my purse that I had forgot about, and even told the airport screener that I thought that there was one in my purse after it cleared the xray scan. He took my purse and ran it through the xray again for the second time and gave it back to me. I was like hmm well ok, whatever and took my purse back.

So I get to the smoking box section of that airport since they had one back then. I was digging in my purse for matches and my cigs and ended up finding my lighter in there! I pulled out my lighter and lit my cig, and everyone in the smoking box looked at the like what the heck? I said "I don't know, I told that guy I thought that there was one in my purse and he scanned it twice".

So I ended up taking that lighter on the plane with me, all the way to Las Vegas! Just wanted to see if it could be done, and it could. I was a little nervous about them missing a lighter, but I understand how it is about jobs, even back then, and I didn't want to call and get anyone fired or anything. I'm sure that if it would have been something worse than a plastic lighter, they would have found it.

[13ways]

Yeah regular plastic lighters are really hard to see on the xray. They are also completely harmless and are now once again allowed on an aircraft.

[Superstargoddess]

Originally Posted by 13ways

Yeah regular plastic lighters are really hard to see on the xray. They are also completely harmless and are now once again allowed on an aircraft.

Are they now? Wasn't aware of that. Eh, you would think that you could MacGuyver a normal plastic lighter into being dangerous though. I mean, I even told the guy about it a couple of times and he didn't even bother to personally search my purse.