Is Vaping Allowed At UK Airports?

Does tedious work make you exhausted and trapped for a long time? Would you like to escape from the city you lived in and start go-with-feel travel?

Definitively. Then you read tour guides and choose the UK as the destination. Plans made, luggage packed, tickets and hotels booked, but when it comes to vape, there’ s another consideration to make.

The following is what you need to know about vaping and UK airports.

UK Airline E-Cig Policies

When booking tickets, it’s advised to contact the airline you plan to fly with, check the e-cig policy on their websites and read the relevant rules carefully. If in doubt, send them an email or communicate with their staff on social media to make sure whether vaping is allowed on-board.

This applies to electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), including e-cigars, e-pipes, and other personal vaporizers:

• National laws for using and selling e-cigarettes change frequently and some countries have banned their use altogether. Please check local regulations for your destination before you travel.
• Place these items in your hand baggage (not in checked baggage) and protect each of them to prevent accidental activation. If there are any liquid components, you also need to follow the safety requirements for liquids.
• You cannot use e-cigarettes or similar items on board.

Important note: If your hand baggage is checked in or removed at the gate and placed in the hold, you must remove the e-cigarettes and carry them with you in the cabin.

Electronic cigarettes (including e-cigars, e-pipes, other personal vaporizers) containing batteries must be individually protected to prevent accidental activation and are allowed to be placed in your hand baggage but not in checked baggage.

The International Civil Aviation Organization amended the 2015-2016 edition of its Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (ICAO Doc 9284), prohibiting passengers and crew from carrying e-cigarettes and other battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices in checked baggage.

Since then, there is a worldwide ban on transporting e-cigs in checked luggage. So you need to pay attention to the airline’s e-cig policy when planning your trip.

Prior to boarding, you may wish to use e-cig to kill time, and most airports do have a vaping policy in place. In the UK, vaping within the terminal is off-limit at Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Leeds Bradford and Manchester airports, however, it is allowed in designated areas. Often these will be shared spaces where smoking is also allowed, so if you are keen to avoid second-hand smoke these may be less than ideal.

You won't be able to use an e-cigarette once you've passed security, so you'll have to use the designated areas outside the terminal buildings – vaping is prohibited inside the terminals.

The use of e-cigarettes is not permitted anywhere inside the North or South Terminals. There are sign-posted areas outside both terminals where vaping is permitted – you won't be able to vape once you've passed security. 

Although prohibited inside the terminal, there is a designated smoking area after security where those looking for a last-minute vape can go.

You won't be able to vape inside the terminal building, but there is a dedicated area after security on the ground – don't forget the £1 access charge though.

The use of e-cigarettes is prohibited in the terminal buildings at Manchester Airport, however, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 both offer airside smoking areas. The T1 area is located outside near the food court and the T2 area is near Gate 300.

You won't be able to use your e-cigarette inside the terminal building and there are no dedicated areas after security.  

It’s necessary to take the time to read up on the legal status of e-cigs in the country you plan to visit. In the UK, most places welcome vaping. While many nations and states have imposed vaping restrictions, there is currently no official regional legislation in the UK regarding the use of e-cigarettes.

However, sometimes, whether or not to allow vaping depends on the property owner. As such, many restaurants, bars, or other public places have chosen to include e-cigarettes in their “No Smoking” policies. If you are caught using an e-cigarette in an area where it is not allowed, you will be asked to stop or even leave the area. Since there are no official laws, though, you will not face legal repercussions.

All in all, when planning your trip to the UK, it pays to plan and do some research to avoid getting your trip off on the wrong foot.

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