Vaping

TRAVELLERS are being warned about taking a popular everyday item on board flights.

Earlier this week, a Swiss International Air Lines flight was diverted to Bangor in Maine, America, due to smoke in the cabin.

The smoke came from a damaged headphone charging case, which had fallen between the seats and become stuck, causing it to overheat.

The plane had come from Zurich in Switzerland and was heading for JFK Airport in New York.

According to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) incidents involving lithium batteries – which are found in headphone charging cases, as well as power banks – are on the rise.

Any items with lithium batteries have to go in hand luggage.

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These include:

• Power banks
• Vapes
• Bluetooth speakers
• Electric fans
• Fitness and smartwatches
• Digital cameras
• Wireless headphones & charging cases
• Tablets
• E-readers
• Laptops

The CAA has warned that if any of these cause an issue during a flight, such as overheating or starting to smoke, you should notify a member of the cabin crew as quickly as possible.

If these items aren’t packed correctly, such as in your hold luggage and not your hand luggage, there could be flight delays or cancellations as a result.

Back in May, an easyJet flight had to divert when a passenger informed crew during the flight that the portable charger was in the hold of the aircraft.

The flight was then forced to land in Rome, Italy, instead of reaching its destination, London Luton.

The CAA previously commented: “Passenger awareness remains low – over a third (36 per cent) of travellers are unaware of the dangers of packing batteries in checked baggage, even though 92 per cent fly with a mobile phone, 55 per cent with a laptop and 49 per cent with a power bank – suggesting hundreds of batteries could be incorrectly packed on a typical flight.”

According to the CAA, there are around two lithium battery incidents every week – and often, these incidents cause delays as well as diversions.

SPAIN is set to implement stricter rules when it comes to smoking and vaping – and it will affect all holidaymakers.

The list of smoke-free places that already exists could be expanded to beaches and national parks under new law.

This week, Spain approved a draft law to extend the list of smoke-free places.

It will be forbidden to smoke or vape on the terraces of bars and restaurants as well as on beaches, riverside beaches, national parks and swimming pools.

Health Minister Mónica García said: “Anyone who wants to have a coffee or enjoy their leisure time freely on a terrace should be able to do so without the smoke from nearby tables becoming part of the menu.”

Also affected are outdoor performance spaces, university campuses and work vehicles such as delivery vans.

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It’s not just a ban directly in these areas – Spain is also hoping to introduce ‘enhanced protection zones’

This is where smoking and vaping will be banned within a 15-metre perimeter around them in certain places like museums and children’s parks and playgrounds.

The amount people can be fined could also change.

According to local media, those breaking these rules could be be fined between €200-€600 (£170-£511).

The law will also ban the use of tobacco-related products by those under the age of 18.

Until now, the law only prohibited the sale and supply to under 18s.

For minors who break the ban on consuming tobacco or vapes, fines for minor offences will start at €200 (£170).

Athough this could be replaced by community service.

These rules aren’t in effect yet as the changes will only be made if the bill is approved by Spanish parliament.

It’s not the only rule that could see you fined in Spain – some areas ban sunlounger hogging, with £216 fines.

So we’ve rounded up all of the Spain travel rules you need to know about.

And don’t try and drink at these French beaches either – that’s banned too.

THE UK’s aviation watchdog has issued a new travel warning as thousands of families will jet off on their summer holidays this week.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has updated its travel warnings about common packing items that could delay your travels – or even see them cancelled.

The CAA has warned that incidents involving lithium batteries are on the rise – so it’s important to pack certain gadgets correctly.

It’s well-known now that items like vapes and power banks have to go in hand luggage, but lots of other ones fall under the same category.

The CAA has named another eight items that you may not have realised are powered by lithium batteries.

These are:

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• Bluetooth speakers
• Electric fans
• Fitness and smartwatches
• Digital cameras
• Wireless headphones
• Tablets
• E-readers
• Laptops

All of these items should be taken onboard as hand luggage.

This is so that if an incident occurs – like a power bank overheating – the cabin crew can react quickly.

The CAA said that on average, passengers carry four lithium battery devices each which works out as four million gadgets taking to the skies every day.

If any are packed incorrectly, it increases the likelihood of delays and or cancellations to flights.

For example back in May, an easyJet flight was forced to divert when a passenger informed crew during the flight that the portable charger was in the hold of the aircraft.

The flight had been heading to London Luton from Hurghada in Egypt but had to land in Rome as a ‘precaution’.

In another case, a Hong Kong Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a fire broke out in one of the overhead bins.

Passengers suspected a power bank was behind the cause of the blaze, according to local media.

Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First, had some further advice: “Before you head to the airport, give your devices a quick once-over. If a battery is bulging, swelling, changing shape, overheating or showing any other signs of damage, don’t take the risk.

“Instead, safely dispose of it as soon as possible at a local recycling centre with dedicated facilities for electronics and batteries and never put it in your general waste.

“Battery safety starts before you even step foot on an aircraft, starting with where you shop.

“When shopping for your summer getaway, the best way to protect yourself and those around you is to stick to a reputable high street retailer you know and trust to ensure your power bank or any other lithium-ion battery product you’re taking away with you is safe.”

Airlines have been cracking down on the use of power banks onboard this year, after one caught fire on an Air Busan flight in South Korea.

While passengers managed to evacuate, the plane was decommissioned due to the damage

Check out ALL the new rules you need to know before travelling this summer – including power banks.

Travellers must take extra when packing their suitcases as certain items are not allowed in hold luggage, especially this device would could cause more disruption than usual

Packing for a holiday can be both exciting and nerve-wracking in equal measure. Most airlines enforce strict restrictions on weight and size, which can prove incredibly stressful for travellers.

Certain items have long been forbidden during air travel, but what about storing them in your suitcase? According to recent findings, vapes and powerbanks rank among the greatest fire hazards on aircraft. As a result, many holidaymakers remain unsure about the correct procedures when flying with these devices.

To shed some light on the matter, Markus Lindblad, Head of Legal & External Affairs for Northerner, has set out the key guidelines for storing your vape.

He warned that despite safety notices, many travellers are still mistakenly packing vape devices in their hold luggage, when airlines actually require these to be switched off and kept solely in cabin baggage.

Why lithium batteries and vapes are banned in checked luggage

This comes down to the considerable fire risk posed by lithium batteries. In the past, airlines have been forced to divert flights after a lithium battery caught fire, making it absolutely vital to thoroughly check your bags.

If you’re caught vaping on board, this can set off smoke alarms and alert cabin crew. Depending on the airline and the circumstances involved, failing to cooperate with staff or disregarding safety instructions could land you with a hefty fine.

This could also result in police getting involved once the aircraft touches down, or even a lifetime ban from travelling with that carrier. But if you spot another traveller vaping mid-flight, it’s recommended to quietly alert a member of the cabin crew.

Getting through an entire journey without nicotine can prove challenging for some, but Markus recommends smokers bring patches on board to tide them over until they reach their destination.

They can be stored in both hand luggage and hold baggage, are subtle to apply and don’t produce vapour, making them appropriate for use while airborne.

As with any product, travellers should always verify the regulations of their airline and destination country before departure, as requirements can differ.

France, for instance, has outlawed nicotine pouches. Taking a brief moment to familiarise yourself with the airline’s regulations and pack appropriately can help prevent hold-ups, seized items or fines, ensuring your trip begins smoothly.

Airline vape policies and the UK disposable vape ban

According to the UK Civil Aviation Authority, all vapes and e-cigarettes must be carried in cabin luggage and never in hold baggage.

This is compulsory to avoid lithium battery fires. Furthermore, all e-liquids must adhere to the standard 100ml liquid restriction in a transparent resealable bag.

You should also drain your refillable tanks prior to flying, as changes in cabin pressure often cause e-liquid to seep out through the airflow openings. For more comprehensive policies on precise battery quantities, it’s worth checking your specific airline’s guidelines via British Airways, easyJet, or Ryanair.

It is also worth noting that selling single-use disposable vapes is completely prohibited in the UK. While you are still permitted to travel with ones you already own, purchasing them at UK airports is not allowed.

A FRESH warning has been issued over a major travel item that many of us now use, that actually poses a huge threat when flying.

Over the past couple of years, power banks have caused several issues across a number of flights.

In response, airlines have introduced new measures that specify the type of power bank you can or cannot take onboard.

As the school summer holidays approach, travellers are now being reminded to carry these items in their hand luggage.

Power banks contain lithium batteries, which according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), pose a huge risk to aircraft, with more and more devices being found in hold luggage over the past year.

The aviation body also said that the average person now takes four different lithium-powered devices on a flight.

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However, they are prone to overheating, especially if they are defective and this can cause a fire.

The CAA states: “Passenger awareness remains low – over a third (36 per cent) of travellers are unaware of the dangers of packing batteries in checked baggage, even though 92 per cent fly with a mobile phone, 55 per cent with a laptop and 49 per cent with a power bank – suggesting hundreds of batteries could be incorrectly packed on a typical flight.”

While some airlines have responded to the increased use of lithium batteries by carrying containment bags – such as Virgin Atlantic and Wizz Air – they still pose the biggest risk of fire to flights.

And it’s not just power banks that have lithium batteries though and they aren’t anything new – you’ll also find them in your laptop, mobile and smart watch.

When an incident regarding a lithium battery occurs in the cabin, cabin crew can handle it more easily.

However, if the issue is in the hold it is a trickier problem to solve.

According to the CAA, there are around two lithium battery incidents every week.

And these incidents can cause delays as well as the plane diverting.

The rules to be aware of include taking items such as your mobile phone, vapes and power banks on board in the cabin.

If you are taking power banks, you are allowed a maximum of two and you cannot charge them during the flight.

Laptops must be switched off if they are in hold bags.

As part of its new campaign ‘Pack right, Safe flight’, the CAA added that travellers should “choose reputable suppliers and brands when buying devices and spare batteries” and that “batteries that show signs of damage, overheating, or swelling should not be used and should never be carried on an aircraft”.

Giancarlo Buono, Director of Aviation Safety at the UK Civil Aviation Authority said: “Flying is by far the safest way to travel, and we want to keep it that way.

“Pack right for a safe flight, and that means don’t put your batteries in your checked bag. Take them into the cabin with you.

“This simple tip will make your flight safer for you, and the other passengers you’re flying with.”

Here are the rules on batteries for some of the major airlines:

British Airways

You can take up to 15 battery-operated Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) that contain lithium batteries such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, cameras, music players, smart baggage tags (e.g. Apple AirTag) onboard.

If in hand luggage, they must be switched off or placed in flight safe mode.

If in checked luggage, they must be completely switched off – not in sleep or hibernation mode.

You can only carry up to two power banks per person and they must be in the cabin in either the seat pocket or in a bag under the seat in front of you and they cannot exceed 100Wh.

Ryanair

Electronic devices and spare lithium batteries must be carried in the cabin only.

Each passenger can carry up to 15 electronic devices for personal use in the cabin “including but not limited to: smartphones, tablets, laptops, cameras, handheld gaming consoles, headphones”.

Each passenger can only carry up to two power banks and these are included in the overall limit of 20 spare lithium batteries – which cannot exceed 100Wh.

Ryanair adds: “Spare lithium batteries and power banks must be carried on the passenger’s person or in the under-seat cabin bag stowed under the seat in front.

“Power banks and spare lithium batteries must not be placed in cabin baggage stored in the overhead lockers.“

Power banks cannot be recharged when onboard or during the flight.

EasyJet

EasyJet has a limit of 15 electronic devices per passenger, which must be 12V or less and 100Wh or less.

When it comes to power banks, Wh ratings cannot exceed 160Wh for lithium batteries, and only two can be carried per passenger.

EasyJet states: “Power banks are prohibited from use on easyJet aircraft and must not be used to charge other devices.

“Power banks must be carried in carry-on baggage only, and it is recommended that power banks are carried where they can be monitore, d i.e. on your person.”

Virgin Atlantic

For Virgin Atlantic, you can travel with up to five spare batteries and/or power banks, depending on their watt-hour (Wh) rating.

All batteries and power banks must be able to fit inside the airline’s onboard Fire Containment Bag, which measures 37×28×10cm.

The airline states: “Please keep them in an accessible place during your flight — not in the overhead locker.

“Power banks cannot be plugged into your seat’s power supply at any time.

“Power banks cannot be used to charge other devices while onboard.

“Batteries and power banks must be under 100Wh.”

Wizz Air

For Wizz Air, power banks cannot be used during any phase of the flight, and they are not allowed in checked luggage.

Each traveller is limited to a maximum of 20 spare batteries, including a maximum of one power bank, which cannot exceed 100Wh.

The airline states: “Power banks and e-cigarettes should be carried where they can be monitored, i.e. on the person.”

WASHINGTON — The head of the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Marty Makary, is resigning after a rocky tenure that drew months of complaints from health industry executives, anti-abortion activists, vaping lobbyists and other allies of President Trump.

He steps down after just over a year leading the powerful health regulatory agency, according to a White House official who was not authorized to speak before an announcement expected Tuesday and requested anonymity.

Kyle Diamantas, the agency’s chief for foods, will take over as acting commissioner, the official said. Diamantas is an attorney with personal ties to Donald Trump Jr.

A surgeon and health researcher, Makary came to prominence among Republicans as an outspoken critic of COVID-19 health measures during the pandemic when he frequently appeared on Fox News.

But he struggled to manage the FDA’s bureaucracy and failed to win the confidence of its staff after mass layoffs, leadership changes and a series of controversies in which the agency’s scientific principles appeared to be overridden by political interests, including those of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The FDA commissioner, as the leader of an agency that regulates billions of dollars in consumer goods and medicines, is often required to juggle competing priorities that straddle science and politics.

Makary faced a unique challenge in balancing calls by Trump and other Republicans to cut red tape at the FDA, while also tending to Kennedy’s interest in scrutinizing the safety of vaccines, drugs and food additives.

Virtually all of the FDA’s senior career officials resigned, retired or were forced out in the first year of the second-term Trump administration, leading to a steady stream of leaks and negative stories in the media cataloging low morale, dysfunction and frustration among staff.

Makary’s handpicked deputy, Dr. Vinay Prasad, was pushed out of the agency twice in less than a year for running afoul of specialty drugmakers and groups for patients with rare diseases. Makary appeared poised to weather the controversy, despite an ongoing pressure campaign calling on Trump to fire him.

Recent months brought fresh criticisms from other interest groups that the White House considers key to Republican chances in November elections.

Anti-abortion groups have criticized Makary for allegedly slow-walking an internal review of the abortion pill mifepristone, which has been on the market for 25 years but remains a target for conservative activists.

Vaping executives told Trump that Makary was blocking approval of their products, including new flavored e-cigarettes seen as crucial to the industry’s survival.

Last week, the agency abruptly changed course on vaping: authorizing the first fruit-flavored products and issuing guidelines that loosened marketing for major manufacturers. But it wasn’t enough to keep Makary in the job.

A permanent replacement for FDA commissioner will need to be nominated by Trump and confirmed by a majority vote in the Senate.

Faster drug reviews are overshadowed

As a former regular on Fox News, Makary was aggressive about promoting his accomplishments on cable television and podcasts and in online opinion pieces.

More than a half-dozen initiatives from Makary aimed to speed up or streamline FDA drug reviews, including dropping certain study requirements, incorporating artificial intelligence into drug evaluations and offering expedited reviews to medicines that support “national interests.”

But pharmaceutical executives rely on the predictability and consistency of FDA decisions, even more than speedy reviews. Makary’s efforts on drug reviews were overshadowed by internal conflicts and upheavals that created headaches for drugmakers, investors and patients.

A number of specialty drugmakers studying therapies for rare or hard-to-treat diseases said they received rejection letters or requests to run additional studies for drugs that previously had been given the go-ahead by FDA staff. Those drugs were primarily overseen by Prasad, who stepped down for a second time from his role as FDA’s vaccine and biotech chief in April.

Vaccine moves denounced

Prasad repeatedly overruled vaccine staffers to restrict eligibility for new COVID shots. In February, Prasad initially refused to even consider Moderna’s mRNA shot for flu. The FDA was forced to reverse itself after Moderna pledged to formally challenge the decision and called for intervention by the White House.

Some of Makary and Prasad’s most controversial vaccine proposals never came to fruition, despite stoking confusion and anxiety within the FDA and beyond.

In an internal memo in November, Prasad claimed — without publishing evidence — that the FDA had linked COVID shots to the deaths of 10 children. Prasad used that to justify a planned wholesale overhaul of the agency’s approach to approving and updating vaccines.

A dozen former FDA commissioners issued a scathing denunciation of the plan, warning that it would “undermine the public interest” and decimate vaccine development. The FDA has not released its analysis of the deaths or its plan for the vaccine overhaul.

FDA’s drug center had a revolving door

In the FDA’s drug center, which is the agency’s largest division, Makary oversaw a revolving door of leadership changes. Six people served as director over the course of one year.

Makary’s initial pick for the job, Dr. George Tidmarsh, was forced to resign after allegations that he used his FDA position to pursue a personal vendetta against a former business partner.

His replacement, longtime FDA cancer specialist Dr. Rick Pazdur, announced he would retire after just three weeks on the job, after clashing with Makary on multiple issues involving drug reviews.

With Makary’s departure, the fate of many fledgling initiatives is uncertain.

Most of the programs Makary introduced have not gone through federal rulemaking required to enshrine them in U.S. regulations and could easily be overturned by his successors.

Democrats in Congress have questioned the legality of some of those efforts, including a program that offers drugmakers expedited reviews for innovative medicines.

Perrone and Kim write for the Associated Press.