Don't get caught out and be prepared for your holiday!
Taking your e-cig abroad? Find out what to do and what not to do.
We Brits love going on holiday, it’s the one thing we really look forward to in the year, sun (hopefully!), sea… and your e-cig?
Taking your electronic cigarette along with you on your travels is something that most vapers would consider to be a no-brainer, so here are a few tips on how to ensure your device is working perfectly throughout your stay, all from personal experience of course!
Stock up.
Ensure you have purchased enough spares to see you through your trip. You should be thinking about coils, e-liquid, a spare battery and even a Spare tank. It’s always best to be prepared, and avoids the nightmare of being without your e-cig.
Check ahead.
Before you set off, contact your airport and airline to see what their policies are regarding vaping and taking your e-cig on-board. Most airlines now have vaping policies on their websites. Also check that your destination country allows e-cigarettes as some will not let you enter the country with your e-cig. Regulations on vaping vary across the world[1].
Be prepared.
Your e-cig, its components and 1 small bottle of e-liquid should be kept in your hand luggage, this includes removable batteries. The majority of airlines prohibit vape batteries from being kept in hold luggage, this also includes disposables. It’s worth noting at this point to only fill your tank part way (I’ll explain further down).
Be prepared again.
At the airport make sure to only carry 1 small e-liquid bottle in your hand luggage in the resealable plastic bag so you can present it correctly through security. This goes for any tanks that may be filled with e-liquid – remove from your battery and place in the plastic resealable bag during luggage checks! Any extra fluid you may need for the duration of your trip should be stored in your hold luggage in a sealed bag to protect from spillage. Please note that although taking anything bearing the skull and crossbones mark are generally prohibited, most airport staff tend to understand e-liquid is different, as all responsibly manufactured e-liquid will bear this warning sign and it is not usually a source of problems (12 flights and 12 departures lucky so far!)
Be prepared once more!
Before you take off make sure your tank is empty of e-liquid, as once you’re on-board and the cabin is pressurised, the last thing you want is for your e-liquid to expand and leak out or for your glass tank to crack which would be really inconvenient to find once you have landed in the middle of Orlando, ready for your once in a lifetime Disney trip without an e-cig store in sight! Your best bet is to dismantle your e-cig and store your empty tank in the plastic bag during the flight.
When you have finally landed.
If you follow these handy tips you should find that your precious e-cig will still be intact and ready to go after a quick fill up. Let me tell you that first vape when you land is absolutely fantastic after being cooped up in a plane.
And finally, avoid the sun.
Keep your e-cig out of direct sunlight. Heat can affect your battery and can also make your e-liquid slightly runnier; the last thing you want is popping your e-cig down next to you on the beach only to find all your e-liquid gone a few moments later.
If you follow my tips for how to travel and of course some simple common sense, in most cases you will have a stress free check-in and flight to your dream holiday location.
*Please note: The above advice is given from a personal point of view, please do ensure to check first with any airline company before taking your electronic cigarette on board and be aware of their individual guidelines. Also check with the destination country to see if the items would clear customs.
Sources
[1] Wikipedia Contributors (2019). Regulation of electronic cigarettes. [online] Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulation_of_electronic_cigarettes