The issue of vaping on airplanes has sparked some debate, particularly concerning whether passengers can discreetly use e-cigarettes in the bathroom. A Reddit user posed this question in the “R/Flight Attendants” forum, asking fellow users if cabin crew can identify when someone is vaping in the lavatory.
The user claimed to be a flight attendant and received various responses from passengers and crew alike. One Redditor was quick to affirm, “Yes, we know.” They elaborated that while an alarm might not always sound, other alerts within the flight crew’s systems could signal the need to investigate specific bathrooms.
“When smoke or particles are detected, it triggers a red alarm in the cockpit that is loud and clear. Trust me, we know when someone is vaping,” asserted another Redditor. A different user chimed in saying, “There’s a sensor on the plane. Just letting you know.” Someone humorously added, “When I opened the bathroom door, the smell was like a strawberry explosion.”
Another user suggested that even if they had heard an alarm, it might not be the typical sound expected; sometimes it doesn’t register in the mind as a warning. A common recommendation emerged: “If you’re craving nicotine, maybe just try some gum instead.”
One passenger recounted witnessing someone vaping at their seat recently, mentioning, “They just exhaled right into their shirt. Nobody said a word the whole flight.” A flight attendant joined the conversation, sharing, “I’ve had a flight where the fire alarm went off for someone vaping in the bathroom, and yes, you could face arrest for that.”
Another Redditor noted, “When we detect smoke or particles, it sets off a red alarm on the flight deck. I know when someone is using their vaporizer.”
Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel expert and author of the blog “View From the Wing,” provided insights into airplane smoke detectors. He explained, “They aren’t your average home smoke detectors; modern technology can pick up aerosol particles from vaping.”
Leff emphasized the regulations, saying, “You can’t smoke or vape on a plane. The FAA interprets the ban on tobacco smoking to include vaping devices, even if they are different.” He pointed out that these laws were created before vaping was even a consideration, hence the current framing that extends the ban on cigarettes to e-cigarettes.
