Vaping While Travelling: the Dos and Don’ts
Planning a holiday means having answers to every possible question: do you have transport to and from the airport? Did you switch off all the lights at home? Can you take vapes on a plane?
Vaping while travelling is a tricky topic. Depending on where you’re headed and how much you need your E-Cigarette, you may not know the dos and don’ts of vaping while travelling.
But don’t worry: Juicemate is here to shed some light on vaping regulations for UK airlines.
Find out more about where main UK airports say you can vape and how much E-Liquid you can take on a plane. When looking for delicious vape juices to complement your holiday, check out Juicemate’s vast selection of E-Liquids.
DO: Research UK vaping regulations!
Before you leave for the airport, it’s best to get caught up on the UK regulations for boarding international and domestic flights with vaping equipment.
Can you take a vape with you on a plane? Yes, but you must store it on your person or checked hand luggage. So your two options are to keep it in your trousers/jacket pocket or store it safely in your carry-on.
Most disposable and rechargeable vapes contain lithium batteries, which airport security identifies as a flight risk. That’s why keeping it on your person is the safest option. However, this doesn’t mean you’re allowed to use it!
Although your vape is nearby, you won’t be able to use it in the plane’s cabin and many parts of the airport. Smoking vapes and E-Liquids fall under the same laws as traditional tobacco products.
As a result, vaping regulations in UK airports are uniform. For example, Jet2 Airlines states that equipment with lithium batteries can be stored in the cabin but not used. RyanAir and Virgin Atlantic enforce the same rules.
DON’T: Presume vapes are legal in your holiday destination
Vapes and E-Cigarettes have been legal in the UK for almost a decade. The Tobacco & Related Products Regulations (TRPR), introduced in 2017, provide vape retailers with rules about what they can and cannot sell.
However, government regulations are much stricter in some countries. In other places, vapes and E-Cigarettes are illegal altogether. Before embarking, don’t presume your holiday destination allows vapes!
Juicemate has collected a comprehensive list of every country where vapes are illegal, so you know when to bid your E-Cig goodbye:
- Bahrain, Barbados, Bhutan, Brazil, Brunei
- Cambodia, Colombia, Costa Rica
- East Timor, Egypt, Ethiopia
- The Gambia, Hong Kong, India, Iran
- Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, North Korea, Kuwait
- Lao, Lebanon, Macao, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico
- Nepal, Nicaragua, Oman, Palestine, Venezuela
DO: Check where you can vape in airports
As mentioned earlier, vapes fall under the same laws as tobacco products. Some airports have designated smoking areas where you can vape, while others ban vaping altogether.
To keep you up to date, we’ve compiled a list of the seven biggest airports in the UK and where they let you vape:
- London Stansted: You can vape in the designated smoking areas outside the terminal. There are no smoking areas after you have been through security.
- London Heathrow: Passengers are prohibited from using electronic cigarettes within the premises. E-cigarettes can only be used in smoking areas outside the terminal. There are no smoking areas after security.
- London Gatwick: Vaping is only permitted outside the terminal buildings in the designated smoking zones.
- Bristol Airport: You can vape in the designated smoking areas, found by the arrivals exit, through the bar on the mezzanine floor and by Starbucks on the first floor.
- Birmingham Airport: You can only vape in the designated smoking areas. You can find these outside the terminal building, but once you have passed check-in, you won't be able to vape until you reach your destination.
- Manchester Airport: You can vape in the smoking areas available outside all three terminal buildings before check-in and after arrival.
DON’T: Overpack your E-Liquids
In the UK, the TRPR states that the E-Liquid tanks in reusable and disposable vapes must not exceed 2ml. Similarly, they have restricted the maximum volume of nicotine-containing e-liquid for sale in one refill container to 10ml.
Government hand luggage restrictions limit travellers to a single 20cm x 20cm transparent, resealable plastic bag where all liquid containers must hold no more than 100ml.
Select your favourite E-Liquids carefully and ensure they’re visible in your clear bag.
DO: Enjoy vaping while on holiday!
So long as you obey airport rules and double-check that your destination allows vapes, you can relax on holiday using your E-Cigarette. Depending on the duration of your stay, you might need to purchase some E-Liquids abroad.
Once you’ve established you’re in a vape-friendly country, purchasing E-Liquids will be a breeze. However, nicotine E-Liquids can only be bought from tobacconist (also known as ‘tabac’) stores in some European countries.
Similarly, other countries have different rules on nicotine strength. In the UK, the TRPR does not allow retailers to sell E-Liquids with more than 20mg of nicotine. But in the USA, you can purchase E-Liquids ranging from 0 to 50 mg!
You must be mindful of cultural differences and laws if you’re vaping while travelling. Showing consideration for the people around you is just simple etiquette!