Vape Town News

If you have a holiday on the horizon, you may be wondering whether you can take vapes on a plane in the UK. While there are universal guidelines for using vapes on planes and within airports, many UK airlines have specific vape policies, from how they should be packed to how many vapes can be taken per passenger. Failure to adhere to these policies can result in your vape being disposed of. Passengers can be served fines and even arrested in the most severe cases, making them wish they’d brought their nicotine pouches onboard instead!

In this article, we will review the rules about vaping on planes for the major UK airlines, as well as the vaping laws in some popular tourist destinations. Once you’ve read this, you’ll be able to take your vape pen on the move without fear of penalties or punishment.

Table of contents

Can you take vapes on planes?
Can you take vapes in hand luggage?
How many vapes can you take on a plane?
How to bring your vape through airport security?
Can you vape on the plane?
Can you vape at the airport?
Can you vape abroad?
How do you look after your vape when abroad?

Can You Take Vapes on Planes?

Most airlines flying out of the UK allow you to take vapes on planes if they are packed correctly. However, we would advise checking with your airline before you travel. Here are what some of the major airlines have to say:

• British Airways – While you can take vapes onto their planes, British Airways requests that any vape kits or accessories be kept in your hand luggage for the duration of the flight. They are not permitted in your checked luggage.
• EasyJet – You are allowed to take vapes onto an EasyJet plane, but once again, they must be packed in your cabin bag – not in the hold.
• Emirates – Any vape devices containing batteries must be packed in your hand luggage, not your checked baggage. Passengers with multiple vapes must ensure that each vape is individually packed and protected to avoid accidental activation.
• Etihad – E-cigarettes may be carried on board, but they must be kept in your cabin bag and cannot be packed in your checked bag.
• Jet2 – While you can take vapes in your hand luggage, Jet2 requests that your devices be individually packed and protected.
• Qatar – Any e-cigarettes containing batteries must be carried in your hand luggage.
• Ryanair – You can take vapes on the plane, but you cannot use them. They are not permitted in checked baggage.
• TUI Airways – Electronic cigarettes can be carried on as hand luggage only. You cannot carry them within your checked luggage.
• Wizz – You can carry e-cigarettes containing batteries in your carry-on baggage only. It is prohibited to pack e-cigarettes in your checked baggage.
• Virgin Atlantic – Vapes can be brought onto the aircraft in your hand luggage or on your person. They cannot be checked into the hold. 

 
Can You Take Vapes in Hand Luggage?

Not only can you take vapes in your hand luggage, but you are also required to pack any vape kits, disposables and vape tanks in your hand luggage rather than your checked suitcases. This is because vape batteries are typically lithium-ion, which cannot be stored in the cargo hold as they have the potential to present a fire risk.

When you bring your vape on the plane, you have to pack it securely to avoid accidental activation. To do this, make sure your vape is switched off (rather than in sleep mode) and packed separately in a secure vape case.

With cabin air pressure changes, your e-liquid bottles or tanks could leak, so keeping these in a plastic bag or container will help to protect the rest of your belongings.

How Many Vapes Can You Take on a Plane?

While we doubt anyone would use their entire baggage allowance on vape devices and accessories, you should be aware that many airlines have imposed limits on how many vapes you can take on a plane.

• British Airways – As vapes are counted as part of your 15-battery allowance, you can take any combination of disposables, vape kits and spare batteries onto their planes.
• EasyJet – While they do not have any restrictions regarding how many vapes you can take on their planes, you are only allowed a maximum of two spare batteries in your hand luggage.
• Emirates – Vapes are treated the same as any other battery-operated device, so they are subject to their 20-battery allowance.
• Jet2 – As passengers are limited to a maximum of two batteries, any vapes with fitted batteries, such as disposables, will be affected by these restrictions.
• Qatar – As vapes are included in your 20-battery allowance, you must ensure that the combined total of batteries and vapes you take on a plane does not exceed this number.
• Ryanair – Vapes are not distinguished from other electronic devices containing batteries and are subject to your 20-battery allowance.
  

How to Bring Your Vape Through Airport Security?

Before you can take your vape onto a plane, you first need to get it through airport security. As with any other electronic device, you will be required to remove your vape from your hand luggage and place it in a separate tray to be checked. We recommend that any vapes are easily accessible to avoid delaying you or any other passengers.

While you can carry e-liquid bottles in your hand luggage, they are subject to the same 100ml limit as any other liquid. They should be packed alongside the rest of your carry-on liquids in a clear plastic bag that doesn’t exceed 20cm by 20cm.

If your e-liquid comes in a bottle that is larger than 100ml, it should be stored in your checked baggage.

Can You Vape on the Plane?

While you can take your vape on the plane, you are not permitted to use it in any circumstances. Due to safety concerns surrounding their batteries, the use of vapes was banned from planes in October 2015.

If you are caught vaping on a plane, you could face a significant fine or find yourself arrested when you land at your destination and sent back home. Repeat offenders are likely to incur increased fines, travel bans, and lifetime bans from certain airlines.

And if you think that you can vape in the toilet, think again! There are detectors installed by airlines solely to identify people trying to vape on a plane. The best solution is to sit tight and wait until you land.

Note that you are also not allowed to recharge your vapes on planes.

Can You Vape at the Airport?

If you need to get your fix before you take your vape on the plane, remember that vaping was banned inside all UK airports in 2016, with the majority of airports restricting the use of e-cigarettes beyond security. You may be able to use your vape in a designated outdoor smoking area that is away from the terminal. Here is what the major airports say about vaping:

• Birmingham Airport – Vaping is not permitted within the terminal building.
• Gatwick Airport – While you can vape on the outdoor terrace of the My Lounge airport lounge, there are no designated smoking areas past security and vaping is not permitted in either terminal.
• Heathrow Airport – Vaping is permitted in designated smoking areas in Terminal 2 and Terminal 5, but passengers flying from Terminal 3 or 4 are not allowed to use their vape devices after passing security.    
• Liverpool John Lennon – While vaping is not permitted within the terminal building, the airport has a designated smoking area on its lower level, next to the Kissing Gate Bar & Restaurant.
• London Stanstead – Vaping is not permitted inside the airport or once you are airside. You can vape in a designated area outside of the terminal building’s landside areas.
• Luton Airport – Vaping is not permitted inside London Luton Airport. However, you can vape in the designated sheltered smoking zone in front of the terminal building.
• Manchester Airport – While there are designated smoking areas near the food court in Terminal 1 and opposite World Duty Free in Terminal 2, passengers flying from Terminal 3 are not permitted to use vapes once through security.
• Newcastle Airport – There are dedicated smoking shelters before security at the front of the terminal building, as well as an outside smoking area at the back of Bar 11. However, using e-cigarettes is not permitted inside the terminal building.

Can You Vape Abroad?

You should always check the local vaping laws of your destination before trying to take your vape on a plane. Many countries have illegalised vaping, and many more with specific rules about where you can vape, how large your device can be and whether you can use e-liquids with nicotine.

While some airlines provide clear guidance to passengers flying to countries with vaping restrictions, you must never assume that because an airline has let you take your vape on their plane, you will be able to use it when you land. We have included a list below of some countries that have imposed restrictions on vaping, along with details of the punishment for using or having a vape:

• Cambodia – The sale and use of vapes has been banned since 2014. While the maximum penalties are reserved for those distributing vapes, you could be fined the equivalent of £800 to £4,000 if you are caught vaping.
• Gambia – Importing and possessing e-cigarettes has been illegal since 2016. Violating these laws could land you with a fine between £11 and £28 or up to three months in prison.
• India – Vapes and heated tobacco products were banned in 2019. Being in possession of a vape device could result in the equivalent of a £940 fine or up to one year in prison.
• Lebanon – While vapes are not illegal in Lebanon, disposables or e-liquids containing nicotine have been banned since 2015.
• Nicaragua – Following law changes in 2022, vape devices are prohibited even for personal use and will be disposed of by customs officials.
• Qatar – Vaping has been illegal in Qatar since 2014. Using or being in possession of a vape may result in a fine equivalent to £2,150 or up to three months in prison.
• Singapore – Importing, distributing or owning e-cigarettes has been illegal since 2018. You may be liable for a fine of up to $2,000 if caught in possession of a vape.
• Thailand – Vaping was illegalised in Thailand in 2014. Being caught in possession of a vape could be met with a fine of up to £700 or a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.

How Do You Look After Your Vape When Abroad?

After going through the trouble of properly packing and checking the local laws to ensure that you can take your vape on the plane, the last thing you want is to have an unpleasant vaping experience while you are on holiday. Exposing your vape to high temperatures can damage its battery, reducing its capacity or overheating it to the point of combustion. We recommend keeping your vape out of direct sunlight when not in use and avoiding charging your vape battery in heat over 38 degrees Celsius.

Hot weather can similarly affect the consistency of your e-liquid, making it much runnier. This can alter how it is vaporised, its flavour profile and the potency of its nicotine content. We recommend keeping your e-liquid in the fridge of your hotel room to keep it fresh.

Should you run out of e-liquid during your holiday and decide to buy some from a local shop, remember to check its nicotine strength. While the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) has limited the nicotine content of e-liquids in the UK to 20mg, other countries permit the sale of e-liquids with up to three times as much nicotine. While you might be tempted to try a stronger e-liquid, we recommend exercising caution to avoid a nicotine rush – especially if you are trying to switch from smoking to vaping.

We hope that this article has made you feel more confident about how to take your vape on a plane. As long as you remember to check the regulations outlined by your airlines, as well as the airports and countries you are visiting, your flight and holiday should go by without a hitch!

If you have any more questions about taking your vape on a plane, or you are interested in nicotine pouches during your journey, get in touch with one of our vaping experts or visit us in-store. We will be happy to help you.