The US Department of Transportation (DoT) will ban electronic cigarettes in airline passengers' checked luggage on commercial flights from November.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has issued an interim final rule that would ban all e-cigarettes from checked luggage and prohibit passengers from charging the devices during flights.
The agency said there is an "emerging transportation safety risk from two recent incidents involving battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices in checked baggage and additional non-transportation incidents that occurred while these types of devices were being charged.
"The devices are capable of generating extreme heat and an incident can result in the ignition of nearby contents," the notice continued.
"This danger may be exacerbated by the growing trend of users modifying and rebuilding their reusable e-cigarette devices (personal vaporisers) and interchanging original and aftermarket batteries, heating elements, and vaporising components. It is recommended that airlines require passengers to carry e-cigarettes and related devices exclusively in the cabin of the aircraft."
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has already issued a similar e-cigarette ban.
The US Department of Transportation (DoT) will ban electronic cigarettes in airline passengers' checked luggage on commercial flights from November.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has issued an interim final rule that would ban all e-cigarettes from checked luggage and prohibit passengers from charging the devices during flights.
The agency said there is an "emerging transportation safety risk from two recent incidents involving battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices in checked baggage and additional non-transportation incidents that occurred while these types of devices were being charged.
"The devices are capable of generating extreme heat and an incident can result in the ignition of nearby contents," the notice continued.
"This danger may be exacerbated by the growing trend of users modifying and rebuilding their reusable e-cigarette devices (personal vaporisers) and interchanging original and aftermarket batteries, heating elements, and vaporising components. It is recommended that airlines require passengers to carry e-cigarettes and related devices exclusively in the cabin of the aircraft."
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has already issued a similar e-cigarette ban.
