U.S. bans the use of electronic cigarettes on commercial flight

Washington: The U.S. Transportation Department has banned the use of electronic cigarettes on commercial flights.

The rule applies to all scheduled flights by U.S. and foreign carriers involving transportation in, to and from the United States, the department said in a statement.

The Transportation Department said it took the action to eliminate any confusion over whether its existing ban on smoking on flights includes electronic cigarettes.

The Obama administration first began considering a ban in 2010 and proposed the ban in September 2011. The effort to explicitly ban e cigarettes was backed by major airline, pilot, flight attendant and public health organizations.

US Congress had banned all smoking on airline flights in 2000, and no U.S. airline allows electronic cigarette use. But the Transportation Department said some charter flights may have allowed the practice.