Travel and Vaping TSA interaction: personal experiences

[ec!gg]

I've sold plenty of e-cig gear to a few TSA employees who actually work at Philly International. One of my best friends is a Behavioral Detection Officer there for TSA. From stories I've heard about TSA screeners I'm surprised the majority of them can put their shoes on in the morning let alone guard our country from terrorism. My buddy let's me know when there are security updates about e-cigs. There haven't been any in a while. He also suggests putting everything into separate zip lock baggies and making them accessible on top of your baggage or even in the "change tray" when carrying on. Also, don't ever put anything valuable in your check baggage. Stuff goes "missing" more than you would even believe...

Next time I fly, I will have to try the zip lock bag. I guess making it easily accessible makes it easier for them to inspect all your things

 

[quovadis]

I place all my vaping stuff in a neoprene bag which i then place in the plastic trays. Every single time TSA ask me what my chucks are.
Apparently 801 atomizers look scary on the x ray screen they told me.
They ask me how the e cig works, so i show it to them.
Once a TSA agent pressed on the chuck switch and the atomizer started to sizzle and give off vapor.
They have always let me through in the end but always called a supervisor.
Granted that a large chuck looks more like a pre-war German hand grenade than an electronic cigarette.

 

[triplec76]

I took a flight back in February from DSM to PIE and had TSA search my carry-on. At the time I was vaping eGo's, so I had several backup batteries that were still screwed into the multi 510 charger from Totally Wicked. I'm sure that looked weird on the scanner. I was flying a plane back home that my company purchased, so I also had aviation charts in my bag. I figured it would be a mess trying to explain why I had these weird electronics in my bag along with charts in my carry-on like I plan on flying sometime really soon.

The screener gave a quick glance, I think I told her it was ecig hardware before she even asked. She just glanced at the charts quick and sent me on my way. Not really a question at all. She did however get VERY serious when I had my arm over the partition when I was pointing at the ecig hardware. She was very stern when she told me that I was in no way supposed to touch anything now that it was in her possession. Other than that, she was very nice.

 

[nouveau]

My two cents:
I've gone through security with a 510, wall charger and 5ml bottles of liquid in:
Raleigh, NC
Dulles in Washington, DC
Frankfort, Germany
Domodedovo in Moscow, Russia

On all flights (just in case) I put the equipment in ziplock bags in my purse. I also took along the original packaging box and instruction manual. I was only stopped in Raleigh and the security guy asked me what all the stuff was. I told him it was an electronic cigarette and here is the box and manual. He looked at every item (read part of the instruction manual!) and then said 'Interesting. Good for you' and let me go.

 

[Ralikar]

nice posts thank you! But what do you expect from copper MODS! ;0

 

[KiloWatts]

Alright, I've flown about 10 times since my last post with my Reo. Most of the time nobody says anything, but if they do they simply ask "What's that?" I say "Electronic cigarette". They say "Oh, I've never seen one like that." and I carry on. So it's no big deal.

 

[GitMoe]

Flew through PHL and SFO this past weekend. The TSA in PHL gave me the double check on my gear. The guy said he had seen a lot of ecigs and actually mentioned VapeFest but he had never seen one like my Empire. He said it must be an expensive model... lol

 

[ThomasP]

I fly from Pittsburgh to Tampa pretty regularly. I always have several Leo batteries, cartomizers, and liquid with me. The only time I have been asked about them was by a smoker who saw me puffing away while waiting in line. I gave him info on where to get one.

 

[quovadis]

Same here...
I had two chucks on me...they thought it was a flashlight, and spent 10 minutes debating with the supervisors...etc..
Always be nice and polite to these people.
I mean how would you feel standing for eight hours in a blue shirt with a tsa badge? And not knowing the difference between a chuck and a magnalight. I would feel something may be wrong with me?!

I was stopped going through security in Las Vegas because of my Chuck. The lady on the scanner was looking at the screen and I heard her say, "What is that?" I said to her, "Does it look like a flashlight?" She said yes and I said, "its an electronic cigarette."

She called over a guy to check the bag, he started rooting around in it, I asked what he was looking for and he told me it looked like it might be a flashlight. I told him where it was in the bag and told him it was an electronic cigarette. He pulled it out, looked it over, said he'd never seen one that big. I resisted the urge to say, "That's what she said."

Then they gave me my bag and I got on the plane. No big deal. Even if they don't know exactly what it is and have never seen one in person, most everyone knows that electronic cigarettes exist. Its not hard convincing them that something innocuous is in fact innocuous.

 

[phishtraveler]

I flew to New Orleans about 2 months ago. The traces of liquid in my cartomizers are what sets off the scanners, so I placed them in Ziplock bags. I only packed cartomizers and batteries, no juice.

The TSA guy behind the scanner and his co-worker asked me what the little cartridges were? I explained they were e-cigarette tips......they called over one of their co-workers....a 60 year old woman with barely any teeth. She looked at the screen and then at the cartomizers and nodded to them saying "yes, thats what they are". I asked them if she was a supervisor?.....they said no, she is an ex-smoker who now uses e-cigs!

i was immediately cleared.

 

[Semiretired]

I hope this goes like what all your stories rate. Next month I am taking an international flight going through Korea and the Philippines. That will be two customs inspections going and the good old USA coming back.

I still have not figured out how to take a 3 month supply... and I really do not want to have to convert back to analogs while I am gone. There will be no supply places in the areas I am going (out in the boondocks)...

I know the locals will stare a lot - that I am looking forward to seeing...

 

[denali_41]

I hope this goes like what all your stories rate. Next month I am taking an international flight going through Korea and the Philippines. That will be two customs inspections going and the good old USA coming back.

I still have not figured out how to take a 3 month supply... and I really do not want to have to convert back to analogs while I am gone. There will be no supply places in the areas I am going (out in the boondocks)...

I know the locals will stare a lot - that I am looking forward to seeing...

i just arrived in the philippines and had no problems with customs and my ecigs..year ago there was an ad on tv about the ecigs ,,the people were holding their babies and vaping at the same time,,i brought in a 250ml bottle of juce no problem at all.just put it in your checked luggage ..also,you can buy juice here at cigarette kiosk's in the more popular malls,although it is PG from china and runs about 6bux for a 5ml ? bottle

 

[Stosh]

I recently flew with my ecig for the first time....was very nervous.
Packed my box mod (detonator) with my camera, along with spare batteries an a couple ego batteries. My plastic baggie of shampoo, shaving creme held my juice bottles and a couple prescription bottles of cartos, for carry on.
Had a couple Volts in my pocket, that went in the basket with my cell phone going through security.

Bottom line, no questions, no hassle......

 

[chevelle]

I recently flew with my ecig for the first time....was very nervous.
Packed my box mod (detonator) with my camera, along with spare batteries an a couple ego batteries. My plastic baggie of shampoo, shaving creme held my juice bottles and a couple prescription bottles of cartos, for carry on.
Had a couple Volts in my pocket, that went in the basket with my cell phone going through security.

Bottom line, no questions, no hassle......

Had the same experience recently myself flying from Chicago to Vegas and back. In my carry-on bag, I kept my Riva batteries along with a spare 510 battery in one baggie. Also had some spare AA batts in the bag too. 4 cartos and a 5 mL bottle of liquid went into another bag. All chargers went in a 3rd bag. Everything else I packed in my checked bag. Never felt the need to vape on the plane but I have no doubt that I could have using stealth techniques. No problems, questions or even funny looks anywhere from TSA personnel. Now, the looks I got in the Vegas casinos while vaping were another story! LOL!
I must also admit that the aroma of fine cigars being smoked around me was a bit unsettling. I've always loved that smell. Guess I still do. I didn't give in and buy one though!

 

[donesmokin]

I vaped from the Pacific Northwest all the way to Key West and back in July. And I do mean all the way, with a 3.7 box mod in my seat. It was great! TSA at Key West looked through my carry on coming back. They said my cartos looked like bullets. Had vendor business cards in the zip locks with my equipment and got passed through no problem.

 

[flwrfrog]

Tangential to the thread, you're TorqueGuy with an air-cooled Beetle? How does that work?

As a lady that also rolls an air-cooled VW (Karmann Ghia coupe, not Beetle), in sunny FL no less,... I have to ask. What on earth do you mean, "How does that work?"

Also, I have an internal medical implant device... traveling with something that looks like a pipe bomb sounds much easier! LOL

 

[Roach]

I just went through Minneapolis, Las Vegas and Phoenix airports. TSA never said a word about my bag of batteries and chargers or my bag of juice. One guy took an extra long look in the X-ray machine but didn't ask about my stuff. I vaped pretty openly in each airport and no one said anything. Got a couple curious looks and a smile from a maintenance guy but that's all. I wasn't blowing big clouds but I wasn't exactly stealthy either. Didn't try vaping on the planes, chewed gum instead.

Las Vegas airport is something else! It's like a casino with airplanes. that was weird.

 

[Roach]

As a lady that also rolls an air-cooled VW (Karmann Ghia coupe, not Beetle), in sunny FL no less,... I have to ask. What on earth do you mean, "How does that work?"

I like VWs too. I ride a VW trike. My dad has an MG styled VW kit car. (it's for sale) AND I got a couple diesel rabbits. All these vehicles are early '80s.

The trike is a blast and the diesels get like 50mpg, one is a truck for light hauling and the other a commuter 4-door.

Always wanted a Karmann Ghia. and a Scirrocco. and a Westfalia camper.

 

[stephenr12]

I recently took a trip to texas. My first flight since i started vaping. They searched my bag because they had never seen a 510 pcc kit before. When I told them what it was and what it was for they sent me on my merry way. Took me and extra 2 mins. and they were friendly about it. This happened at the airport in Spokane WA. When I flew back from Texas...no delays at all.

 

[ScottinSoCal]

As a lady that also rolls an air-cooled VW (Karmann Ghia coupe, not Beetle), in sunny FL no less,... I have to ask. What on earth do you mean, "How does that work?"

I mean air-cooled VW engines are many things, but high torque isn't one of them.

Not hating on VWs - I'm helping a guy who has a convertible classic beetle get his engine situated and I told him from the beginning that the engine is a marvel of ingenuity. The ability to unbolt a cylinder and replace it is still amazing to me. There's just about no way to damage the engine beyond repair. But they're just not high torque engines.