Where can I buy electronic cigarettes?

In Gibraltar, our most popular models are available in nearly all the pharmacies and due to their demand, now Morrisons supermarket who have just extended their range of cartridges.  If you are flying in or flying out, stop by the SkyShop in the airport to pick up your TC so you may relax and vape it in the departure lounge!

But, if you would like to come and see our full range of products or sample our lastest e-juice / cartridges we welcome you to pop by our offices located on the busiest street in Gibraltar.

123 Main Street, Suite 2 (level 1)

The smoking alternative

Our new sign will be erected in the near future indicating the largest selection and supply of electronic cigarettes in Gibraltar, and possibly within 1000 kms!  Our current core office hours are 10:30 am until 2:30 pm although we are in and out of the office through much of the day and often the evenings.

We look forward to seeing you!

Sincerely,

TC Team

Vaping in planes, trains and in automobiles?

I liked the title, so I will stick with it but the focus is largely a quick look at ‘vaping on airplanes’ and………….can you?

I have personally vaped on many planes and in quite a few airports including those in various cities such as New York, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Paris, and London to mention a few.  I typically NEVER have had problems as any enquiries by crew have been met more by curiosity than anger or objection. 

I think with any new products especially electronic cigarettes it is important to be aware, ‘they are new’, they are not mainstream yet and many people have not even seen them before.    I typically survey the area I am vaping in and the location I sit.  I don’t always take huge draws (well often) but typically  I will exhale downward; I am not trying to create attention, simply enjoy my alternative.

In 2009 and 2010 I would usually speak with one of the air hostesses and simply mention I had an electronic cigarette (I don’t usually now).  This was typically followed by a quick demonstration of the product or acknowledgement that they have heard of them and it would be ok.   There was never a problem per say although will mention one incident for the moment.  As there are only a few airlines that go from Gibraltar to London,  and perhaps because we sell our TC products in the Airport shop, these airlines were perhaps more aware of them.  Being based in Gibraltar bordering La Linea de la Conception, Spain, I fly to the UK fairly often either in transit or for work/pleasure.  (Monarch and British Airways actually indicate ‘no electronic cigarettes’ are to be used).  Ryan Air on my last flight were very kind and even offer a cigarette alternative, which does not create vapour and mistakenly is thought to be an electronic cigarette; which it is not.

To continue with the story,  while returning from a visit to Canada I was flying from Toronto to London, UK with Air Canada  (January 2010).  I will admit I was quite late and was ‘’literally’’ the last person on the flight.  When I boarded as I normally did/do in Gibraltar or London, I mentioned in passing that I had an electronic cigarette and with this I had to do my follow-through which was to pull it out and show them.  I simply mentioned it was an alternative to smoking and there was no tobacco, no combustion and no second hand smoke and that I have used on many other flights including the one into Toronto. 

At this point there were a few more questions and four ladies surrounding me which was fine but…..perhaps stupidly I took a large draw on the black TC Pro (SLB510) and when I exhaled a substantial ‘magical cloud’ of what resembled ‘smoke’ that was it!!!  …What?? I was proud that our products create a lot of vapour!  Needless to say my pride in our products would have been better served by providing the ladies with an information card rather than a display of  vapour!

They kept me there and actually took my e-cig to speak to the captain.   THE CAPTAIN! After a couple of minutes they simply said, NO they will not allow it on the plane.  I couldn’t believe it.  In simple terms I had about 6 people around me now at the entrance to the plane including a couple of people 

who appeared from the walkway connected to the plane door.  I had a couple of units I was testing, some e-juice with Nicotine, extra batteries and some cartridges for my TC Flight I. (super mini).  I felt like some sort of drug lord pulling out various mixtures and concoctions from various pockets in my bag and my jacket.

To cut the story short, I personally delayed the flight, yes quite embarrassing as you can imagine everyone at this point was seated and there I am with six people surrounding me, some coming and going to get the business section settled and do what they would normally do when a plane was just about to take off.  I would expect I was the first strange man carrying magical ‘smoke makers’ that they had ever come across.  

My main option was………to hand over all my ‘gear’ and say goodbye as it was staying in Toronto.  The alternative was to further delay the flight and hand over all my ‘gear’ and have it stowed under the plane with the other luggage.  THE LUGGAGE DEPARTMENT, UNDER THE PLANE.  I MEAN WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE TAKING OFF NOW?!   

As one might expect (or not) they were quite friendly and I wasn’t too keen on simply throwing everything away and leaving it with a happy and curious baggage handler.  I opted for option 2; place my stuff in the luggage department.  After a few more minutes it was clear they had no magic box, or bag or service available to allow me to simply get it at the other end.  We agreed that I would have to use my carry-on bag.  As I used to do quite a bit of travel for pleasure and work, my carry-on bag is packed only with essentials, everything in their respective place and there for a reason.  I now basically had to dump all my stuff on the floor, and hold onto only the important items such as tickets, wallet, passport, as it would have been more than a nightmare should I have left my passport in the bag and then had it stowed below only to arrive at customs in the UK and say………err, no sorry, I don’t have my passport anymore, it is in my luggage because……….I don’t know….. I am special?    Every heard of a TC electronic cigarette???

In brief, I only took out important items and expensive items (laptop) and the rest were stowed below and finally…......into the sky we went.   A few hours later I took one of the la

dies aside and asked her politely specifically why my TC was not allowed i.e. what specific policy?   It didn’t appear that any official policies were in place and as I had mentioned in my brief debate, it is only a rechargeable battery and a tiny heating element, I mean …. Come on?

Having grown up flying, there are a few fundamentals that you should adhere to.  Don’t mention bomb in an airport, never argue with officials as this generally is simply counter productive………..and don’t blow a huge vapour cloud when getting on a plane in a country where e-cigs are literally outlawed (for the moment). 

She was very kind and said that they had actually reviewed the latest policy since take off (I don’t know how) which DOES allow this product to be onboard a Air Canada  plane, but it should not be used.  She did actually apologize although it was literally the first time they had seen one, and they went with the captain’s recommendation which I am sure stems from, ‘if in doubt…don’t’ …. To be fair, I doubt this situation would happened again and everyone involved was actually very kind…although it was the first flight in a while that I was without an e-cig to puff on.  

I survived and my shoulder carry-on bag was waiting for me in London with my main luggage at which point, I had a good puff right then and there and headed into central London for a night out with friends before heading back to Gibraltar the following day.

In summary and this is not conclusive although my personal experience indicates the following:

Monarch and Easy Jet say no electronic cigarettes can be used on their flights, they say this in the same conversation including that smoking is banned and the world will end if anyone smokes in the toilet.

American Airlines although I happily vaped the whole flight (London-JFK) (April 2011), include a reference in one of their in-flight magazines which detail which electrical’ items that are not permitted to be used and should you file through the huge list, electronic cigarettes are actually there! 

September 2011:  The above is a personal story I wrote to one of our customers a number of  months ago (revised with slightly fewer spelling mistakes), although I thought I would post it following my last trip!  Most recently (1 week ago) I was flying back from the UK to Malaga, Spain on Flybe.  I mentioned electronic cigarettes at which point I was told there was a 'ruling' and electronic cigarettes are now not allowed to be used on flights!  I will post more information when I get time, but in brief, it looks like flights in Europe are now a ‘no vape zone’ which is quite a disappointing change.  If you have any specifics, please feel free to add in the comments section.  

 

Best,

Mark 

 

 

 

Total Electronic Cigarettes Ltd (TC) products are coming to Morrisons Grocery store soon!

The introduction comes after months of rumours that Morrisons Gibraltar was considering and researching the best brands on the market.  They chose Total Electronic Cigarettes due to their strong affordable range of quality products. TC now supply to 90% of the pharmacies in Gibraltar, Tobacconists and the Airport store.  The Morrisons focus of the TC range is the popular TC Flight II premium electronic cigarette, and the most popular cartridges will also be available. The product will be launched on February 28th, 2011 in Morrisons, Gibraltar.

For more information on product range please contact sales@totalcigarettes.com.