Markey: Ban e-cigarettes on airplanes

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) urged the Department of Transportation to ban e-cigarette use on commercial flights.

“Just because you don’t light up an e-cigarette doesn’t mean it can’t spark a fire,” Markey said. “Our federal aviation experts and regulators need to take swift and significant action to protect the public.”

{mosads}Markey’s comments came, after an e-cigarette vaporizer started a small fire in the luggage hold, while a passenger plane was parked at Boston’s Logan airport.

He said the incident needs to be investigated, but until then, the Federal Aviation Administration should finalize rules to protect passengers in mid-flight.

“This troubling incident at Boston’s airport is a warning for the entire airline industry and every person who steps onto an airplane,” Markey said. “Until this fire is fully investigated by the FAA, the agency should consider banning e-cigarettes from the cargo holds of passenger planes before tragedy strikes.”