For many smokers who are struggling to quit, e-cigarettes have been a god-send. Many rejoiced over the fact they could ‘smoke’ these during their flights, however, the joy is over. The U.S. Department of Transportation has banned smokeless cigarettes from the air.
Smoking has been banned from US flights for approximately two decades, yet many smokers who face long flights still dread the time they are forced to spend without their cigarettes. For many, the invention of e-cigarettes presented one of the most amazing highlights and there have been several airlines, which allowed ‘smoking’ these on board. The e-cigarette is a small plastic and metal device which contains liquid nicotine solution which when heated creates vapour which may be inhaled.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has recently issued a statement in which it explores the possibility of extending the ban on smoking on board airplanes on the e-cigarettes as well. Senator Frank Lautenberg, the author of the original 1987 law banning cigarettes in the air, criticizes e-cigarettes. In his opinion ‘we still don’t know the health effects of e-cigarettes and we don’t want to turn airline passengers into laboratory mice’.
In recent months, many airline operators have started to prevent their passengers from smoking e-cigarettes; however, as the law has not been clarified, some are finding it difficult. Especially BMIbaby or Easyjet are companies which has allowed e-smoking on board until now. British Airways or Virgin Atlantic and American Airlines do not allow smoking of e-cigarettes on board under any circumstances. It is likely the U.S. Department of Transportation will issue an official ban of the smokeless device to put a legal end to all disputes.