US bans use of e-cigarettes on airline flights

“This final rule is important because it protects airline passengers from unwanted exposure to aerosol fumes that occur when electronic cigarettes are used onboard airplanes,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement.

The Federal Aviation Administration also prohibits passengers from packing e-cigarettes in their checked luggage under an interim final regulation adopted last year by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, which is part of the Transportation Department.

Hawaiian Airlines said that one of its flights this year was forced to make an emergency landing after an e-cigarette that was illegally put in a checked bag caused the captain to activate the plane’s fire-suppression system.