Travel and Vaping Airport and customs!

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StoneOver

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Jan 13, 2014
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I just wanted to know if anybody travels with ecigs often. I travel alot with work and its mainly Africa or the middle east. Im not so bothered about UK airports becasue i can explain to the custom official quite easily what an E-cig is. My concern is travelling back home and trying to explain to a Local customs officer in Lilongwe, Malawi for example what this big shiny metallic cylinder with a battery and tank of liquid is. I cant see it going down too well.
 

mirandag819

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I'd be curious to hear others stories... I have only traveled from the US to Mexico with mine so far. My Spanish is strong enough that I figured I could explain if needed, but either their security was more relaxed, or they already knew what it was. It was in my carry on bag that went through the scanner, but no one questioned it.
 

curious8

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I just wanted to know if anybody travels with ecigs often. I travel alot with work and its mainly Africa or the middle east. Im not so bothered about UK airports becasue i can explain to the custom official quite easily what an E-cig is. My concern is travelling back home and trying to explain to a Local customs officer in Lilongwe, Malawi for example what this big shiny metallic cylinder with a battery and tank of liquid is. I cant see it going down too well.

StoneOver, I'm going to Malawi in a few days and very curious to know what your experience was over there with e-cigs and vaping in general, and definitely with customs. I'm planning on taking 2 ProVaries, liquids, batteries, chargers and pro-tanks. Your response would be super appreciated.
 

StoneOver

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Yeah it went well I just got one of those transparent bags for my tanks. And put the ones I was using for the airport in them. Kept all my juice in my main bag. And packed my SVD in my hand luggage like anything else didn't get looked at. If your landing at Lilongwe enjoy getting your passport stamped and collecting your bags it's chaos! Takes forever!
 

curious8

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Wow, that was a super fast response - thanks much! I'm landing at Chileka airport in Blantyre and hoping for the best, but won't be surprised at long waits or chaos. Did you see anyone else vaping in Malawi? Any retails stores for e-cig gear? Do they know what e-cigs are? I'm so nervous that something will go wrong and I'll be forced to buy the old killer sticks (will be there for 12 days). I'll also be in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe - any experience with these countries?
 

StoneOver

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I've been to all of them but only Malawi, Zambia while vaping. I can't see there being any issue just make sure you separate your liquid and tanks with liquid in from the rest of your gear. Get a clear bag put it all in there and take it out of your hand luggage when your bag gets scanned. Getting hold of vaping supplies will be difficult I haven't even tried if I'm honest. If your in Lusaka when in Zambia head down to a shopping area called the arcades might be something down there but I doubt it, if not there's some nice bars and places to eat.
 

veganvap

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Put everything in your checked bag separately, like batteries in one battery-safe container, tanks in another container, juice in another, mod in another etc, so in case they are sketched out by one or the other, it's less likely they take all of it and might just take one container. Expect to loose it all and just take bare essentials. I'd get a smoktech groove V2 for like $50 or a $10 ego VV instead of possibly losing provaris.
I actually vaped right in my seat on jet blue and held it in so no vapor came out. They let me take a smoktech groove with a full kanger protank carry on, but they wouldn't let me carry on a belt sander. It says No Motorized Tools (such as chainsaws and generators, even if they are brand new), but they previously let me take a smoothie blender in my carry on with an engine stronger than the belt sander, so I didn't think much of the sander. I think they just don't like tools like wrenches and screwdrivers that can be used to take the plane apart. I packed the blender blades in my checked bag but they said I could have carried them on but wouldn't let me take the belt sander even if I cut the cord since there wasn't time to bring it to my checked luggage. Even if you call you airline and they okay it, it depends on the TSA/customs agent you pass by.
 
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