U.S. Bans E-Cigarettes in Checked Bags on Planes
By REUTERS MAY 18, 2016
The Transportation Department said on Wednesday that it was permanently banning e-cigarettes in checked baggage or from being charged onboard an aircraft.
Transportation Secretary Anthony R. Foxx cited recent incidents that showed the devices could catch fire during transport. Passengers may continue to carry e-cigarettes for personal use in carry-on baggage or on their person, but may not use them on flights, Mr. Foxx said.
“Banning e-cigarettes from checked bags is a prudent and important safety measure,” Mr. Foxx said in a statement.
The rule covers battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices including e-cigarettes, e-cigars and e-pipes, but does not prohibit passengers from transporting other devices containing batteries for personal use, like laptop computers or cellphones.
The rule makes permanent a temporary ban instituted in November. The use of e-cigarettes was barred by the department in a separate move in March. No airline has allowed their use.
The government cited two incidents of an e-cigarette catching fire in luggage in the last two years. It said the danger was worsened by the growing trend of smokers’ modifying or rebuilding their e-cigarette devices.
The Transportation Department said it took the action to eliminate any confusion over whether its existing ban on smoking, which dates to 2000, includes electronic cigarettes.
source: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/19/business/us-bans-e-cigarettes-in-checked-bags-on-planes.html?_r=0
