Travel and Vaping E-smoking on an airplane?

[vapour]

Hi,

I'm not an expert on smoke detectors, please reply if my information below is misleading.

From what I know, it is possible that a smoke detector would be triggered if there is sufficient vapour near the detector as some detectors use an optical method, but water vapour is unlike smoke in that it is quickly dissipated into the air so there should theoretically be no vapour to reach the actual detector to trigger an optical detection sensor. Smoke detectors can use ionization as a method, but water vapour does not trigger these sensors. Some smoke detectors can be confused by moisture also, since generally it is not recommended that home smoke detectors are installed in or near bathrooms. I am not sure exactly what type of detector is installed on an airplane - I would hope the most advanced type.

I would suggest it is ultimately best to discuss the device with the attending stewards, as the embarrasment and possible legal repurcussions of being accused of smoking are likely not worth the hassle. As mentioned in my first post, I intend to gain the permission of the cabin crew on my next long haul flight.

I've also considered disabling the LED in a spare battery for use in dark spaces, as it was the battery LED that alerted the cabin crew during my previous flight.

 

[BananaDoc]

Hi all,

Been meaning to post my in flight (USA) experience for a while now--just never got around to it... my apologies. The flight was cross country, Cleveland to Portland with a layover in Minneapolis.

Anyway-- Quite anticlimactic... I passed through TSA both ways without a glance. (my wife was certain i would get static for it... she was so convincing, i packed a spare in my check through luggage.) I vaped in the airport bars (the "iron lung" vape where you hold in the vapor for a 3 count and exhale... well, very little... ) no one batted an eye and probly assumed i was sucking on a pen.

In flight i did the same in my seat, again no notice. And went in to the lavatory and puffed away... no alarms/buzzers/traps doors ejecting me from the plane at 30,0000 feet.

It was really great! it felt the way it did flying in the early 80's when you could light up if the flight was over 2 hours....

Now i have quit cigarettes over 4 months ago... so the nicfit is becoming a distant memory. However, flying is a BORING arduous endevour... You get antsy even as a non smoker. With my little eciggie--it was ALMOST fun again.

 

[Mr.Darcy]

that sure would ease the boredom....but how'd you get through the metal detectors and x-ray machines no problem,i wonder?

 

[BananaDoc]

that sure would ease the boredom....but how'd you get through the metal detectors and x-ray machines no problem,i wonder?

I wondered about that myself Darcy... That is the reason the wife was SURE i would catch hell. I think it's because the case is metal. I am not sure they can see the wires, LED, or atomizer... It was in my backpack, right next to two metal pens... and the good folks at TSA just assumed all 3 were...

 

[Mr.Darcy]

ah!the old pen camouflage trick,eh?you were thinking ahead Doc...

 

[BananaDoc]

ah!the old pen camouflage trick,eh?you were thinking ahead Doc...

LOL! They don't just GIVE away these advanced degrees ya know!

 

[Pepper]

Hi, I've been lurking around the forums for a week or so now, and thought I should make my first post!

I flew from Edinburgh to London Luton (and back again) yesterday with my super mini in the front pocket of my backpack (which had my laptop accessories in it, the laptop had to be taken out separately). Imagine my terror when I got hauled to the side as I passed through security at Edinburgh Airport. I've not had my bag checked on the last dozen or so flights I've been on! Anyway, enough of the dramatics, they wanted to quiz me over the spare laptop battery in my backpack, and didn't spot/care about the e-cig.

Relief!

I sailed through security at Luton without any incident.

I'm still not brave enough to smoke my e-cig in areas that normal smoking is not permitted, I just don't want the potential hassle.

 

[shogun]

I went for a two week vacation to Canary Islands. Took my Njoy and Janty kissbox classic with me. I stored them in my carrion bag and they sailed without a problem through all detectors. My girlfriend however was stopped because she had a small apple juice carton in her carrion bag that she had planned to drink on the airplaine.

I went a few times into the bathroom on the airplaine and puffed away with no problems. I also smoked without trying to hide anything on both airports and nobody seemed to notice.

I also want to mention that I smoked my e-cigs a lot in public during the trip and not one person asked my about it (besides my friends who were curious).

 

[Ryle]

After reading this Thread I'm now even more excited to receive my ecig (ordered it yesterday) I'm just young enough and crazy enough to push the envelope at every available opportunity and luckily being because of my age if I intentionally do crazy things people just tend blame it on my age or call it stupidity! Hopefully it wont be long before I'm posting my findings on here as well. I've already thought of tons of different places I would like to try this.

 

[dagit]

A Canadian travel experience...

Thursday I flew from Toronto to Vancouver on WestJet, "smoking" the entire way. I wasn't flamboyant about it, and was maybe lucky with the seating arrangements - I'd ordered a window seat, the middle seat was empty, and the lady in the aisle seat had a father and a husband who had both died of cancer (lung and throat, respectively), so she was more than a bit thrilled to learn and talk about something that might help to save lives.

Monday I flew from Vancouver to Toronto on AirCanada, again "smoking" the entire way. Also again, I had a window seat, but this time my seat-mates didn't seem to notice at all. They were Chinese, spoke little English (but great at hand-signals when offering me taste of their homemade cooking!;-)), and I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't quite know that (real) smoking is a no-no on planes. But still, some people noticed during disembarking/baggage pick-up, etc. A few asked, and many others were clearly leaning to listen while I demonstrated.

In all a great experience. No problems, no hassles. I've hit local malls, a movie theater, a government office building today, etc. I've flown, shopped, filled up on gas, and sat in on tribunal hearings, etc. all while "smoking", without complaint or issue. There's the odd look and the odd question (always followed by wows!;-)), but the general gist of it is that if I'm polite and not too flamboyant (so as to offend or accidentally upset people and then make them look stupid for having been offended at nothing), then I'm "free".

Wow. A Canadian, free? Not banned from one action to another? Wow. Who would have thought!

 

[kaesecake]

Back on the mainland from Hawaii, had a mini in my backpack and no trouble or questions either way. Smoked a bit in the bathroom and no issue there (other than feeling a bit silly)

Is there anyone here who's actually had a problem?

 

[windblown]

I just flew across country and back on a major US carrier. I had about 5 or 6 penstyle ecigs in a small tote bag, and had no problem at all taking them through security. At one airport the bag went through the x-ray machine and was then hand-searched, which gave me a brief heart-stopping moment. It turned out that I had half a bottle of water that I had forgotten about. Whew! No questions at all about the ecigs.


Operating under the theory that it is easier to get forgiveness than permission, I just assumed an air of nonchalance and vaped away. During a layover of several hours in one airport, I was able to smoke discretely with no questions asked. I did try not to look conspicuous and it must have worked because no one ever appeared to notice.


During the flights, I used an ecig that didn't make a lot of vapor, so as not to cause consternation to any of the flight crew or others around me. Apparently, no one ever noticed.....or perhaps they just thought their eyes must be fooling them.

 

[Zuiden]

Alright I am a loadmaster in the US Air Force (I do weight and balance and load and unload cargo and preform flight steward like duties when we have passengers as well air drops)

And if you plan on flying MILAir (military air) I would suggest not doing it. I know if I saw it I would ask you to put it away. It's not so much what you are doing is wrong its the perception of what you are doing and what others around you may think or may think about doing (heaven forbid if they do actually light up an analog cigarette)

There is technically no rule against in my books, but like I said its the perception.

 

[leaford]

Man, I remember flying space-A (or class-c) back in the day. Great way for a 19 year old to get to Japan. Wouldn't do it today on a bet though.

 

[Ruby]

Vapour - I just found a pen cap that fitted over the end of my 901 perfectly. Hides the led no problem at all. Might be easier than disabling the led?
I think if one used a pen cap with a clip on it it might exert psychological effect too - after all if it looks like a pen it is not a cig right!
This tactic might also help people who worry about losing the e-cig out of their pockets if they find a pen cap, with a nice snug fit and instead of putting it over the led use it over the cart.

 

[Dremel70]

I am going to Afghanistan in a few months for a year deployment. I was in Iraq in 04. It was like a 20 hour flight. I was miserable. On the way home I just took sleeping pills to get through the flight. Now I'm going to be so happy and satisfied.

 

[Davidyang]

I am going to Beijing next week, I will try to smoke e-cig in the plane, lets find out what will happen. in china, only few people know what e-cig is!!

 

[CaptainKauai]

I noticed something interesting while boarding a plane the other day in Hawaii. The a/c was running inside the cabin. I noticed quite a lot of vapor coming from the overhead vents, especially near the door of the aircraft. I felt too rushed to speak to a flight attendant about what exactly caused it. However It should go to show that the vapor from an e-cig would do nothing to the smoke detectors. I didn't try smoking on the plane, but I did smoke in the airport terminal. I have a long flight next month and will certainly vape away on the flight. I figured I will just pull my sweatshirt over my face and vape away unnoticed.

 

[ak2ae]

I can just imagine the security issue arising as a result of this but pulling out an e cigarette and smoking it while people around you are looking at you like you lost your mind would be amusing.

 

[IowaGirl]

Whew,,,I was going to ask about taking them on the airplane. I am flying to california this coming Saturday and was scared they would be confiscated if I put them in my tote bag. I already lost 2 of them to thieves at work and had to get them all over again....How long ago had you been since you went through security with them?