As a vaper, the thought of going on a long flight without access to your vape pen can be stressful. Even short-haul flights can be tricky for heavy vapers, however, in this instance rules are made to be followed. If you’ve ever found yourself tempted to sneak into the plane bathroom to vape, or try and sneakily have a puff while the stewardess's back is turned, we’re here to tell you that it’s NOT worth the risk. 

Can you vape on UK airlines?

No. Passengers onboard a flight are not allowed to vape on any airline in the UK. Some airlines such as EasyJet and Ryanair allow vapes to be carried in hand luggage, however, a strict no smoking or vaping policy is in place. Ryanair also has a policy that observes the right to refuse passengers on board if “you have smoked, or attempted to smoke, on a previous flight”. This rule also applies to vapers, so even attempting to vape on a flight can lead to heavy monetary fines as well as potentially being banned from the airline in the future. 

Is vaping on a plane dangerous?

As vapers, we’re used to arguing that vaping is safer than smoking, however, on an airplane, there are plenty of safety reasons why vaping cannot be allowed. Here are just some of the reasons why you cannot vape on an aeroplane. 

It’s a fire risk

Many airlines do not allow e-cigarettes to be checked in as hold luggage. This is because there is a risk of unintentional activation if pressure is applied to the e-cigarette. If a device is activated for too long, the battery could potentially overheat and result in a fire. This has happened in the past with e-cigarettes catching fire in the hold, which, considering the hold is unattended - is extremely dangerous. 

It looks like smoke

Cabin crew are specially trained to be constantly on guard for traces of smoke. One of the most serious situations that could happen on an aeroplane is an in-flight fire, so any traces of smoke must be investigated. If vaping was allowed during a flight, the cabin crew are faced with multiple traces of vapour which could potentially mask a real threat of smoke and a real risk of fire. 

Second-hand ‘vape’

Just like second-hand smoke, second-hand vapour has become more socially unacceptable over the last few years. With the number of people smoking and vaping starting to decline, it’s no surprise that the vast majority of passengers do not want to be subjected to someone's vape cloud. 

Smoke detectors

However tempting it is to sneak into the toilets and use your vape pen, it is absolutely not worth the risk. Aircraft smoke detectors are unable to differentiate between vapour and smoke, so if it is picked up the alarm will go off. Once the alarm is activated it has to be investigated by the Cabin Crew who are more than capable of finding the source of the problem. If the alarm does go off, the plane will start to descend to a lower altitude while Cabin Crew investigate. It is possible that an emergency landing will follow. 

How do I cope without my vape on a plane?

We get it. Going without your vape for a prolonged period of time can be tricky, but we cannot stress enough how important it is to stick to the rules. However good you are at stealth vaping, there’s always the risk of something going wrong or an eagle-eyed fellow passenger doing the right thing and alerting the crew. 

If you are getting prepared for a flight, we recommend either training yourself to go without your vape for long periods of time or investing in some nicotine patches or gum. Some airports have designated smoking and vaping areas, so you could also purchase a disposable vape pen to enjoy before boarding the flight - just remember to throw it in the bin before you step on the plane!