BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – LOCAL Civil Aviation officials are advising passengers of changes regarding travelling with Portable Battery Chargers, Battery-powered E-cigarettes, Vapours, Vape Pens, Atomizers and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems.
In a statement late yesterday (Apr. 9) , the Department of Civil Aviation urged the public to comply with all safety and security rules as required at the Robert L Bradshaw and Vance Amory International Airports.
According to the Civil Aviation Division (CAD), Portable Battery Chargers, Battery-powered E-cigarettes, Vaporizers, Vape Pens, Atomizers, and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems are now prohibited from checked bags.
The announcement comes several weeks after smoke was seen emanating from an American Airlines plane that was at the RLB International Airport.
SKNVibes understands that an E-cigarette caught fire in one of the bags of an outgoing passenger.
The CAD said: “These items may only be carried in the aircraft cabin (in carry-on baggage or on your person). Check with your airline for additional restrictions.
“Remove all Electronic Cigarette and Vaping Devices from carry-on bags checked at the gate or planeside. Persons travelling with E-cigarette and other items mentioned in (2) must declare them at the airline check-in counter. These items will be confiscated if you fail to declare them.”
The Department has recommended that travellers must ensure batteries are removed from chargers, the contacts wrapped with tape and placed in individual plastic bags to protect from short circuit.
It is advising persons to ensure that cords are disconnected from chargers when travelling.
This is in accordance with:
1. ICAO Technical instruction for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air as outlined in Part 8 Doc 9284 and 8973 Appendix 12: Battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices (e-cigarettes,-cigs, e-cigars, e-pipes, personal vaporizers, electronic nicotine delivery systems, etc.) may be carried by passengers or crew in the cabin only for personal use.
Portable electronic devices (watches, calculating machines, cameras, cellular telephones, laptop computers, video recorders, etc.) containing lithium or lithium-ion cells or batteries should be carried as cabin baggage.
Spare batteries must be individually protected so as to prevent short circuits and carried in cabin baggage only;
2. IATA Dangerous Goods Regulation 2.3
Batteries, spare/loose, including lithium metal or lithium ion cells or batteries, for portable electronic devices must be carried in carry-on baggage only; and
3. St. Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis Regulation 13 of 2012 (41)
(j) Without lawful authority or excuse take or attempt to take on board any aircraft
(i) a firearm;
(ii) Any explosive or incendiary device; or
(iii) Any other dangerous or offensive weapon, device or thing that could reasonably be used to interfere with the operation of an aircraft or pose a danger to persons on board an aircraft;
A person who contravenes the above commits an indictable offence.
The Act further states in subsections (3) and (4):
(3) Except as otherwise provided by this Act, every person who contravenes a provision of this Act or any regulation, order, or directive made under this Act commits an offence punishable on summary conviction.
(4) An individual who is convicted of a summary offence under this Act is liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars and, in the case of an offence referred to in subsection (1), to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
