Vaping on aircraft

[Vaperite South Africa]

Besides being in the vaping business, we are also connected to the aviation industry and would like to share our experiences as far as airlines, aircraft and vaping are concerned.

ISSUE: Anyone using an electronic cigarette device with a sealed liquid chamber must realise one thing: As a pressurised aircraft starts to climb, the pressure increases and affects not only the cabin but everything in the cabin. Therefore, depending on the size of your tank versus the amount of e-liquid in it, the pressure build up will force the liquid out of that tank through any orifice available and these could be via the coil and air holes and is the reason that the battery pin area is covered in e-liquid after being in an aircraft that has just taken off and climbed to its cruising level.
SOLUTION: Prior to take off, remove the battery from the coil housing or tank. Turn the tank upside down so that the base of the coil is facing upwards and this will solve the issue with most devices, You may experience a slight loss of e-liquid but nowhere near as much as if the battery is left on. If your device still suffers excessive liquid loss then unscrew the tank from the base to remove the air pressure seal.
NOTE that there are no pressure issues at cruise or in the descent as the pressure is stabilised in the first instance and decreasing in the descent.

ISSUE: You want to vape in the aircraft lavatory but the flight attendant has warned passengers that smoking in a lavatory is a criminal offense and that it will set off the smoke detectors.
SOLUTION: Head off to the lavatory and vape away. Although extensively tested with our own brand of European e-liquid, we assume that no e-liquid will set off the smoke detectors as they detect carbon which is not found in e-liquid.

If there are any specific questions about airlines, aircraft and vaping, please fire away!

 

[RevnLucky7]

ISSUE: You want to vape in the aircraft lavatory but the flight attendant has warned passengers about it being a criminal offense and that it will set off the smoke detectors.
SOLUTION: Head off to the lavatory and vape away. Although extensively tested with our own brand of European e-liquid, we assume that no e-liquid will set off the smoke detectors as they detect carbon which is not found in e-liquid.

If there are any specific questions about airlines, aircraft and vaping, please fire away!

Heads up, I can safely promise you that this is false. Trust me. I got caught. I worked on cruise liners in the Untited States and spent quite a bit of time in transit. While I got away with it most of the time, it cost me $2000 on one particular flight and spening 3 hours in detension in Miami.
I got away with the fact that American Airlines at this point had not had e-cigs added to their pre departure annouchment otherwise I would have most certainly faced much more severe consequinses. These days most annoucments add that the use of e-cigs are prohibited.

I'd highly advise you use the old "keep it in" tecniques. As for vaping away... yeah let's just say I k@ked myself.

There are basically two common types of smoke detector: photoelectric and ionization. Photoelectric detectors use light beams and ionization detectors are a type of particle detector. It would be difficult for vapor from a PV to set off a photoelectric sensor because you'd have to put out enough to block the light beam. Ionization types are more sensitive and could detect vapor from a PV more easily.

According to Boeing's website, airplane lavatories use the more sensitive ionization type detectors.

Vapor from a PV is not smoke, granted, but it is made up of vaporized propylene glycol and food additives (among other things) that can produce particles bigger than water vapor (steam). The massive variation in how juice is mixed means that you could end up with vapor that would set off a sensitive ionization style detector.

So, yes, if you've vaping heavily enough in a confined space, the vapor from a PV could potentially activate an airplane smoke detector. Taking the chance of setting off a smoke detector in a crowded plane at 10,000 feet is probably not a good idea. Better to vape with both feet firmly on the ground!

 

[Vaperite South Africa]

Heads up, I can safely promise you that this is false. Trust me. I got caught. I worked on cruise liners in the Untited States and spent quite a bit of time in transit. While I got away with it most of the time, it cost me $2000 on one particular flight and spening 3 hours in detension in Miami.
I got away with the fact that American Airlines at this point had not had e-cigs added to their pre departure annouchment otherwise I would have most certainly faced much more severe consequinses. These days most annoucments add that the use of e-cigs are prohibited.

As we said, it has been extensively tested with our Vaperite juice but we are not able to confirm that other juice has the same quality, mix or ingredients. When I say extensively, try well over 100 times, including blowing directly onto the detector. The aircraft have been late model Airbus airliners so it is possible that older aircraft may have less sophisticated detectors. RevnLucky7, any idea what the aircraft type was that you were caught on? By mentioning American Airlines it's very likely that it was a pretty old model as they have been one of the slowest of the legacy US airlines to upgrade their fleets.

 

[Andre]

Our @vaalboy once tested the smoke detectors in his hotel room and the alarm went off - to his horror. Of course he knew of nothing when the emergency staff arrived....and no smell of smoke lingered.

Bottom line, many of us stealth vape in aircraft, but do not blow directly into the detectors - always blow down - vapour do not rise like smoke. And do the stealth vaping method, even in the little room - the less vapour the better.

 

[Vaperite South Africa]

Our @vaalboy once tested the smoke detectors in his hotel room and the alarm went off - to his horror. Of course he knew of nothing when the emergency staff arrived....and no smell of smoke lingered.

Bottom line, many of us stealth vape in aircraft, but do not blow directly into the detectors - always blow down - vapour do not rise like smoke. And do the stealth vaping method, even in the little room - the less vapour the better.

I will find out about older lavatory detectors during the week and post additional feedback. I will also test a modern Boeing detector later this coming week (on the ground) and post the results.

And, as @vaalboy posted, blow down but not only for the reason that vapor does not rise like smoke but also because the toilets and drains use vacuum suction and will facilitate the extraction of any evidence of your on board vaping.

Otherwise come and meet us at our new shop when it opens and you may just find out that you know the Captain on your next flight....

 

[Silver]

I dont know about you guys, but I dont like vaping in aeroplane toilets
There is a strange smell in them and i just dont like being in there

I just vape at my seat - stealth. I take a reasonable drag and just hold it in for a few seconds. No vapour comes out when i finally breathe out. I use my Reo Mini/RM2 coiled at about 0.9 to 1.0 ohms so its not a cloud machine. Just flavour and throat hit.

 

[johan]

I agree 100% @Silver. For the life Murphy, I can't see how someone cane vape in a toilet, let alone a public one.

 

[RoSsIkId]

Guys i work in the fire detection and evac industry.
1. A fire system is programmed (if done correctly) that when it goes off to show exactly where it was triggered.

2. Vaping does set off the smoke, ionisation detectors. You are safe with a heat detector. I have tested this.

3. Its a criminal offense to set off any fire detection system without there being a fire. This includes fire doors, fire detectors and the break glass units.

 

[Vaperite South Africa]

I agree 100% @Silver. For the life Murphy, I can't see how someone cane vape in a toilet, let alone a public one.

Well let me warn you then. Every single one of those flight attendants on board knows what you are doing when you sneak a drag under your pillow or jacket. 99% of them will ignore it, but if you get that 1% on a bad day, it will be a really bad day for you.

Deal with the toilet. It has far more uses on an aircraft than what it was intended for. If a flight attendant reports one of my passengers to me for smoking cigarettes in the aircraft lavatory, I will have them arrested on landing. If they see someone vaping in their seat, they will get a verbal "Uit Kak" because I "have to" but nothing further. If the person is using it in the bathroom I will tell the cabin crew to ignore it. That simple!!

But, that doesn't mean other pilots will be as lenient and at least in the toilet they have no proof as long as you let the vapour dissipate before you exit. A couple of flushes of the toilet will do the trick.

 

[johan]

Thanks for the heads-up, next flight I will listen out for: "Today we have captain @Vaperite South Africa ......." - if I can't behave, I will stick to my fetus position under the blanky, but no toilet vaping for me!

 

[Rob Fisher]

Every single one of those flight attendants on board knows what you are doing when you sneak a drag under your pillow or jacket. 99% of them will ignore it, but if you get that 1% on a bad day, it will be a really bad day for you.

Bummer! That was my plan for my LONG HAUL flight from Durban to JHB to Hong Kong to LA later this year! You don't by any chance fly for Cathay Pacific do you?

 

[capetocuba]

I vape in my seat on EVERY flight. I blow the vapour into my shirt, so far so good. I also use the toilet when needing to get that big hit, same again blow into my shirt. So far so good. Never had anything leak due to pressure. So I am a happy flying bunny

Edit ... I always sit at the window

 

[capetocuba]

Heads up, I can safely promise you that this is false. Trust me. I got caught. I worked on cruise liners in the Untited States and spent quite a bit of time in transit. While I got away with it most of the time, it cost me $2000 on one particular flight and spening 3 hours in detension in Miami.
I got away with the fact that American Airlines at this point had not had e-cigs added to their pre departure annouchment otherwise I would have most certainly faced much more severe consequinses. These days most annoucments add that the use of e-cigs are prohibited.

I'd highly advise you use the old "keep it in" tecniques. As for vaping away... yeah let's just say I k@ked myself.

There are basically two common types of smoke detector: photoelectric and ionization. Photoelectric detectors use light beams and ionization detectors are a type of particle detector. It would be difficult for vapor from a PV to set off a photoelectric sensor because you'd have to put out enough to block the light beam. Ionization types are more sensitive and could detect vapor from a PV more easily.

According to Boeing's website, airplane lavatories use the more sensitive ionization type detectors.

Vapor from a PV is not smoke, granted, but it is made up of vaporized propylene glycol and food additives (among other things) that can produce particles bigger than water vapor (steam). The massive variation in how juice is mixed means that you could end up with vapor that would set off a sensitive ionization style detector.

So, yes, if you've vaping heavily enough in a confined space, the vapor from a PV could potentially activate an airplane smoke detector. Taking the chance of setting off a smoke detector in a crowded plane at 10,000 feet is probably not a good idea. Better to vape with both feet firmly on the ground!

Is this why Rocket Sheep so expensive ... are we paying your fine

 

[Andre]

Well let me warn you then. Every single one of those flight attendants on board knows what you are doing when you sneak a drag under your pillow or jacket. 99% of them will ignore it, but if you get that 1% on a bad day, it will be a really bad day for you.

Deal with the toilet. It has far more uses on an aircraft than what it was intended for. If a flight attendant reports one of my passengers to me for smoking cigarettes in the aircraft lavatory, I will have them arrested on landing. If they see someone vaping in their seat, they will get a verbal "Uit Kak" because I "have to" but nothing further. If the person is using it in the bathroom I will tell the cabin crew to ignore it. That simple!!

But, that doesn't mean other pilots will be as lenient and at least in the toilet they have no proof as long as you let the vapour dissipate before you exit. A couple of flushes of the toilet will do the trick.

Ah, good to know, thanks. What do you do with the mile high clubbers - congratulate them!

 

[Vaperite South Africa]

Ah, good to know, thanks. What do you do with the mile high clubbers - congratulate them!

Mile High Clubbers more than welcome on my flights. I fly for Zuma's airline .... Domestic and regional. I'm the pilot doing my pre-flight walk around puffing on a Kangertech EMOW. You should have seen the refueller's faces when I first started doing that and e cigs were new. Now they all know me and a few of the other guys who do the same and don't bat an eyelid.

FYI, two of our cabin crew were recently fired for vaping in the galley after a passenger reported them.

Rob, watch out for the Far East airlines. Their cabin crew are super sharp and can be very by-the-book so don't get caught. Bathroom your best bet as their aircraft are all the latest state of the art and the loo detectors have the ability to differentiate between smoke and other types of air particles. That's why under arm deodorant and air fresheners don't set them off.

 

[Tom]

I actually dont vape on any flight....I have done it in the beginning, more out of curiosity. I can restrain myself from it for 12 hours without agitation.

 

[vaalboy]

Great thread.

I've actually become a bit of a "stealth vape ninja" and will stealth vape anywhere in public as long as I feel I can get away with it. I've found that people in general are not very observant if you stealth vape and those that notice when taking a pull must think it's my inhaler.

My recipe on flights is to choose at a LHS window seat. With the Reo in my left hand top shirt pocket, by just turning my neck and facing the window I can reach the drip tip without removing the reo from my pocket. Best times are during take off and landing as attendants are strapped in themselves. The only time I got bust was when a blind lady sat next to me on a JHB to DBN flight and commented on the slight "strange" odor she smelled