Forget Smintair, the (still-grounded) airline for smokers. An electronic cigarette alternative called SuperSmoker, which delivers nicotine through a heated tobacco-flavored mist, is trying to get permission to allow its product in airplanes. They’re allegedly negotiating with an unnamed airline to allow their product onboard.
The product’s typo-filled website argues: “Because it isn’s [sic] a real cigarette and there isn’t real smoke, this electronic device can’t be placed under the smoking prohibition.”
Uh huh. Sure, there aren’t burning tobacco leaves, but there’s visible smoke, even if you look at their own ads. I’m sure nonsmoking passengers will love having burning-tobacco scented vapor surrounding them for hours.
So, any guesses as to which airline would enter into negotiations with this product’s manufacturer? I’m smelling a European low-cost carrier… but which one?
A cheesy promotional video for the SuperSmoker is below, if you want to see what these things look like in practice (though not on a plane…)
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February 10th, 2009 at 9:02 am
will pigs fly?
February 10th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Yikes! My spam filter thought your email was a phishing attempt. I can see it was just trying to do its job.
February 12th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Was this video posted as an April 1 joke or something? Too bad…it hearkens back to the good old days when cigs were allowed everywhere. Just kidding. I noticed smoking rooms in the airport on a recent trip through Germany. Perhaps planes can set up similar rooms/closets, etc.?
February 13th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
C’mon folks. Lets try to have an open mind to a new idea here.
I got the cabin crew on a particular airline to let me smoke MY electronic cigarette (different brand) on the plane!
I detail a step by step method I used in a post I wrote on my blog about electronic cigarette smoking on airplanes.
Check it out!
February 20th, 2009 at 5:50 am
Not only an open mind, how about a remotely truthful article? It isn’t smoke, nothing is burning, it certainly isn’t tobacco scented, and it immediately dissipates nearly as your breath does. It doesn’t surround anyone for hours and no SHS leavings are involved.
February 26th, 2009 at 1:37 am
The post is really informative. Personally, I feel that the revolutionary electronic cigarette is the best option for the smokers who want to quit smoking altogether as well as enjoy their urge for nicotine. Also, by smoking the electronic cigarette, you are not going to violate the rules against smoking. While purchasing the smokeless cigarette look for the accessories and refill programs available with it.
February 28th, 2009 at 8:56 am
The electronic-cigarette topic is getting some big-media attention since this post came out. For what it’s worth:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29435175/page/0/
March 28th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
This should be BANNED on airlines. You can’t fly for a couple of hours without smoking? If you can’t, you have a problem.
April 29th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
David Michaels,
Why would you care and why should it be banned it has no effect on you what so ever. lol what a joke.
June 2nd, 2009 at 8:08 am
Sounds like this blog was written by someone very UNeducated about the e cig. Probably should educate yourself before you start writing. You have completely lost it!! The vapor smells like air and dissapate as stated above. And the vapor coming from it is probably safer than the air you breath in your city. Talk a bout a joke!!!
June 11th, 2009 at 1:41 am
Please, tell the public the trueth e- cig’s companies!! It is not a cheap product for one thing, and now we still do not know if we can use it on planes, or if it is safe, geez……
July 31st, 2009 at 1:27 pm
I think the whole plane’s thing is because of James Bondian type worries of suicidal saboteurs “putting something” besides the nicotine cartridge in there that would blow poison gas out or something (far-fetched maybe but look at the paranoia, I’m not saying whether its justified or not) ….
September 4th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
The initial argument for banning cigarettes is that second hand smoke infringed upon the rights of the non-smoker. Now the non-smoker wants to infringe upon the rights of the smoker. Understand the “smoke” here is water vapor. Is it the fact it looks like a cigarette that bothers people, or the fact that someone is making a choice to do something which does not meet with the approval of others? Just FYI, airline air quality has been reduced since the smoking ban on airlines, due to less fresh air intake, and less filtration of the recycled air.
October 5th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
[...] Electronic cigarettes on airplanes Back in February, I posted about a report of an impending deal between an electronic cigarette manufacturer and an unnamed [...]
November 25th, 2009 at 12:50 am
I am going from the usa to africa and I do not want to bail out at 30,000 ft so I guess I will water vapor the lavatory
December 11th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
My husband and I are going to Australia in February,its a 24hr flight,would make the journey a lot easier for us both if we could use the e cig,as it doesnt affect anyone,s health i can,t see why it would be a problem to anyone else.
January 12th, 2010 at 1:38 am
Your blog is awesome! I found it on Google and couldn’t help checking it out. You have some good notes here. Thanks for posting!
March 16th, 2010 at 3:14 am
i can def get a nicotine fix from a electronic cig, like if a normal smoker smokes a regular cigarette super fast.
April 9th, 2010 at 7:21 am
Good call on the security issue — if it isnt mainstream, people fear it (generally speaking).
I’d love to one day be able to sit on a long flight and use one though. It just sounds ‘fun’ for some reason.
May 21st, 2010 at 12:43 pm
I smoked for a long time and quitting was harder than you can imagine. I used all of the stopping gadgets but none helped. Then I saw the e cigarette. The ecig uses a nicotine fluid that contains only nicotine. No toxic substances at all. They have actually saved my life.
June 30th, 2010 at 2:22 am
@Kim Pilar
Nicotine is a highly toxic substance.
July 15th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
Haha, this blog is so full of crap. I brought the e-cig into my good friend’s parent’s home. They are CRAZY I mean absolutely APESHIT BONKERS about smoking, and they let me vaporize in their house! There is no lingering smell and no irritation for anyone else!
Also, it’s not smoke. Perhaps you should do your homework before you post on the big kid Internet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomizer_nozzle
November 11th, 2010 at 5:06 am
first off e cigs as said above use food grade vegetable glycerine (the same used in fondant at a bakery) and nicotine that is heated into a vapour when u (VAPE NOT SMOKE) vape the ecig all that is exhaled is pure vapour that is of no harm to anyone including the person vaping. and as for (EOWN) nicotine in its pure form is a poison more so arsenic ml for ml once it is cut for the e liquid it is no longer a poison nicotine in e liquid ( liquid for the ecig) has the same effect on the body as caffeine FACT how many of you drink something with caffeine in hmm exactly so don’t start posting utter crap unless you know some facts.
further more why is it that non smokers feel the need to make utter bull up to try to justify there opinion like its a fact when in fact 99% of the time it is them that is talking crap as said before learn about things before you go and decide that its the same as smoking ect ect.
As for vaping on a plane it is unfortunate that airlines are uneducated when it comes to ecigs and seem to have no desire to change that my feeling is thats a shame I do agree that vaping e cigs should be ok on long haul and if they are worried about security ect ect then maybe it might be an idea for them to research a brand of ecig sell them on the flight I know its a cost to us vapours but at least it could be a way for them to make sure there is no security risk.(it is one of there isues battery switch liquid I think u see the pattern with that.
hope to be able to vape on planes at some poing in the future.
further more why is it that non smokers feel the need to make utter bull up to try to justify there opinion like its a fact when in fact 99% of the time it is them that is talking crap as said before learn about things befor you go and decide that its the same as smoking ect ect.
November 11th, 2010 at 5:08 am
sorry the the repeat there lol
i copy and pasted due to my internet being unstable so i didnt lose what i wrote 
November 11th, 2010 at 5:15 am
pps there is NO SMELL TO THE VAPOUR AT ALL WITH ALL TOBCACO FLAVOUR LIQUID. fruit flavours sometimes there is a slight and i mean barly noticable smell most cant smell it and if you are one of the few who can then it is a very nice distant smell of fruit again smelling the fruit flavours is rarly the case.
November 11th, 2010 at 6:52 pm
I totally agree with keith. You should do your research first. You should not be taken seriously as long as you post such poorly fact checked posts.
also, in terms of security. Someone could just as easily just short out the battery of a laptop and pour a poison on it as they could smoke an ecig, and produce far more actual gas, and laptops are allowed on planes. This is one of those things where if someone was determined to do it, they could use any number of things and there’s no reason to ban something like ecigs. simply follow the same liquids procedure with ejuices as they do with all other liquids.
February 5th, 2011 at 1:26 pm
I am sure someone has already said this but just in case. Your “article” is mind numbingly biased and borderline dishonest. There is no tobacco scented smoke “but there’s visible smoke” your words. Then you call it vapor. At least once you weren’t BSing your audience. My brother smokes and this has been a great thing for him. I don’t smoke never have never will but I do see how smokers are often treated with less respect than a heroin addicted.
I guess when everyone can have a blog you’ll be sure to find plenty of people who have agendas and won’t be honest. You are one of them.