Can you vape on planes or trains? E-cigarette travel rules explained

BEFORE you go on holiday, you should check the rules on vaping to avoid breaking the law.

We explain all of the rules about vaping on planes, trains and buses, and what is banned.

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Can you vape on planes?

Passengers onboard a flight are not allowed to vape on any airline in the UK.

Both EasyJet and Ryanair allow passengers to carry their vapes in their hand luggage but have a strict no smoking policy that applies to vaping.

E-cigarettes must not be checked in either.

Ryanair even reserves the right to refuse passengers on board a flight if “you have smoked, or attempted to smoke, on a previous flight”.

If you are caught vaping on a flight then you could face heavy fines or being banned from the airline.

A man was banned from flying with Spirit Airlines for life after using his e-cigarette in the bathroom, leading to an emergency landing of the plane.

It is also worth checking if they are allowed in the country you are flying to, as e-cigarettes are already banned in at least 30 countries.

Can you vape in airports?

All airports have banned vaping inside, the same as with normal cigarettes.

Some airports have designated smoking areas outside the terminals which travellers will have to use.

Can you vape on trains?

Passengers are not allowed to vape in train carriages.

Although many train companies and stations once allowed vaping on platforms, most have now been banned too.

When Govia Thameslink Railway introduced their vaping ban in 2015, a spokesperson for Thameslink and Great Northern railway said: “We have a no smoking policy regardless of the type of device customers would like to smoke.

“Our concern is that e-cigarettes will unsettle other passengers or cause people to think that smoking real cigarettes is allowed.”

What forms of travel allow vaping?

In the UK, vaping has also been banned on buses.

Within the capital, e-cigarettes are also forbidden on London Underground services.

While vaping isn’t illegal, drivers who are distracted by e-cigarette smoke can be prosecuted for driving without due care and attention.

Police can hit you with a £100 on-the-spot fine and three penalty points if they believe the clouds of smoke impact your ability to drive safely.

And in more serious cases or those contested in court, the charge can attract a maximum £5,000 fine, up to nine penalty points and even a court-imposed driving ban.

Where can you vape in the UK?

The government has not officially banned vaping in any location, it is up to the property owner.

Many private and public organisations have banned the use of e-cigarette’s so it is key to check with officials beforehand.

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