When the question of traveling arises and the question of what transport to get to our destination is decided, we often choose an airplane. It is convenient, fast, and the plane is considered the safest mode of transport. And so we bought tickets, and a lot of questions begin to arise in our heads. Is it possible to take this or that thing with you?
Many people take a mercury thermometer with them, but they don’t know whether it can be checked in as luggage, or whether it can be taken with them in hand luggage, or whether it is generally prohibited to take it with them. Let's try to understand this issue.
Despite the fact that electronic thermometers are very common all over the world, we continue to believe in mercury thermometers and try to sneak them on board the plane. However, most companies do not allow you to take a thermometer on board the plane. It can be checked in as luggage, having previously been packed in a plastic case, and placed so that it is not damaged under any circumstances.
But under no circumstances should you take a thermometer in your hand luggage. Most companies will force you to check the thermometer in your luggage. Only a small part of airlines allow you to take a thermometer in your hand luggage. This point must be clarified with the airline you intend to fly with.
Situations are different, and maybe a person actually needs to constantly measure their temperature. But you can take an electronic thermometer with you in your hand luggage, and check the good old mercury thermometer in your luggage and use it for your pleasure upon arrival wherever you need to go.
We must not forget that no matter how careful you are, the thermometer can be broken during the flight and the entire cabin will breathe toxic mercury vapor. In my opinion, you shouldn’t put yourself and other people in danger.
Let's come to the right conclusion. If you really need a thermometer, then buy an electronic one and leave a regular one in your luggage. And if you do not want to take care of your safety and the safety of other people, then be extremely careful.
And don’t forget to check with your airline whether or not you can take your thermometer in your hand luggage. If it is prohibited, rest assured that no matter how much you resist, it will be taken away from you and will not be given back.
I wouldn’t say that many passengers like to transport hazardous chemicals by traveling by plane, but quite a lot of them want to take with them, for example, such a common device as thermometer. This is especially important for those passengers who want to fly with small children - they constantly need medications, and a thermometer is usually included in the most standard first aid kit.
But later it turns out that taking such a thing as a thermometer with you Not allowed due to mercury content. It's another matter if it's an electronic thermometer - of course, that's possible. But Why can’t you carry mercury on an airplane??
The answer is clear - Is it dangerous. Mercury is a very toxic substance that even in small quantities can be dangerous to humans. Mercury reacts very well with air, releasing toxic substances.
This is why large volumes of mercury are usually transported by sea. Even if something happens to the ship, for example, it crashes and drowns, then the barrels of mercury will sink to the bottom and will lie there for quite a long time. Mercury reacts little with water, and even if it begins to react, the reaction products are of little danger to the inhabitants of the sea and its vegetation. But if an airplane crashes, mercury can spread across the surface of the earth and cause harm to the environment, including even animals and people.
But we are not talking about barrels, but about a milliliter of mercury contained in a thermometer. So, even in small quantities?
Why mercury should not be carried on an airplane
1) If the thermometer accidentally breaks, toxic mercury vapor can damage the respiratory tract those who sit next to you. This is especially dangerous for small children, who are likely to be on the flight. And safety on board always comes first.
2) Not only mercury vapor is dangerous. Herself mercury reacts well with aluminum oxide, which covers all the aluminum that makes up some parts of the aircraft. Even a small drop of mercury may damage the integrity of the fuselage. And even the smallest hole in this part of the aircraft can disrupt its aerodynamics, which is unacceptable.
In general, you don't need to know chemistry to get on board an airplane. It’s enough just to remember that mercury should never be taken on board, even in small quantities. Well, in case someone inexperienced asks you, Why can't you carry mercury on an airplane?, you can tell him about it.
Both on domestic and international flights, airlines are responsible for the safety of passengers during the flight. In this regard, strict requirements have been adopted for the transportation of hand luggage and baggage on airplanes.
Therefore, many people cannot accurately determine whether thermometers can be carried on airliners. Before answering this question, it is necessary to determine which thermometer is intended for transportation. If we are talking about an electronic thermometer, then there is no prohibition on transportation. There are restrictions only on the quantity of goods transported. You can determine it by familiarizing yourself in advance with the list of items permitted for transportation located at airports, or contact the air carrier administration with this question. As for mercury thermometers, the issue here is more acute.
Is it possible to take thermometers on board an airplane - legislative acts.
- On December 7, 1944, Annex 18 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, Doc. MOGA “Technical Instructions for the Safe Transportation of Dangerous Goods by Air,” which prohibits the transportation of medical devices containing mercury. This list also includes a mercury thermometer. A deviation from these rules is the transportation of 1 medical or clinical thermometer in a classic plastic case only in the luggage compartment, where air passengers have no access. In hand luggage, an exception is provided for the carriage of 1 professional thermometer, suitably packaged, with the permission of the air carrier.
- Since January 2018, new instructions on the rules for transporting cargo posing a danger to the lives of passengers, adopted by the International Civil Aviation Association - ICAO, have come into force, which concerns the prohibition of transporting mercury thermometers in the cabin of all airliners. This ban is advisory in nature.
- On June 22, 2018, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation approved new “Rules for pre-flight and post-flight customs inspection of hand luggage and baggage,” according to which restrictions were introduced on the transportation of mercury medical instruments, including thermometers. Based on this document, an air passenger has the right to carry one mercury thermometer, suitably packed in a standard case and checked in baggage.
At the same time, passengers have the right to transport in hand luggage other medical instruments (pressure gauges, tonometers, etc.), sealed in special sealed containers, 1 piece. per person. The same restrictions apply to all crew members.
Rosaviatsia accepted these instructions. Nevertheless, the administration of Sheremetyevo Airport reported that they hope for auxiliary information that will specify the new procedure for carrying out such air transportation. At Domodedovo airport they confirmed their agreement with the new resolution and emphasized that they do not and will not have problems with removing mercury medical instruments from passengers’ carry-on luggage, since they have specialists trained to work on waste disposal of all hazard groups.
According to the editor-in-chief of Aviatransport Review A. Sinitsky, who supported the innovations, this will enable air carriers to get rid of the need for long-term and expensive work on demercurization of the aircraft cabin if mercury from an accidentally broken thermometer scatters in it.
Despite the strictness of the accepted standards, the IATA code states that each company is given the right, on its own initiative, to make decisions on the application of air transportation standards for hand luggage on board an aircraft. In this regard, passengers are recommended to check with the carrier airline about the conditions for transporting medical mercury thermometers before purchasing tickets.
If there is an urgent need to take a medical thermometer into the cabin, but the airline prohibits this, or there is no way to contact the company administration, then it is safer to use an electronic temperature meter, which is allowed by all companies without exception.
It is difficult to answer definitively whether it is possible to take medical thermometers on a plane. You can take one hermetically sealed instrument into your checked baggage. Some companies allow carry-on luggage as an exception, while others prohibit it. This is due to the danger to the health and life of air passengers in case of damage to the mercury instrument. In this regard, before the flight, it is better to contact the air carrier directly and clarify the rules for transporting a mercury thermometer. It’s even safer to take an electronic thermometer with you on the road, which is approved by any company.
What is the danger of mercury from a broken thermometer?
As you know, mercury is one of the most dangerous chemicals. It causes corrosion of metals; may pose a threat to the health, safety, property of passengers or the environment. It is not so much the mercury itself that is dangerous to humans as its vapors. If mercury enters the body, acute poisoning occurs, which is detected by certain symptoms. In this case, it is necessary to immediately induce vomiting in the person in order to disinfect the body. The situation with mercury vapor is more complicated. To obtain acute poisoning, its evaporation of 0.13 - 0.80 mg/cubic meter is sufficient. Domestic thermometers contain 1 g, and imported thermometers - 2 g of mercury. One broken thermometer can poison at least half of the passengers, since intoxication of the body occurs by inhaling vapors along with air. Approximately 80-85% of them remain in the body, thereby poisoning the kidneys, heart, and brain. Mercury spilled throughout the aircraft cabin in small balls is especially dangerous, because it cannot be collected without special equipment. equipment is practically impossible and due to its volatility it will poison the entire environment.
Anyone who travels frequently, whether on vacation or on business trips, has more than once encountered the problem of compiling a list of medications that need to be put in their first aid kit. During the preparation process, the question often arises whether it is possible to take a thermometer on the plane. Airlines have special requirements for the transportation of such an item, since mercury is a toxic substance.
What you need to know before packing a first aid kit on a plane
When planning a flight on an airplane, you must familiarize yourself with the rules for carrying hand luggage and baggage. There are two types of baggage: unchecked or carry-on baggage (which is allowed on board the plane) and checked baggage, which is carried in the baggage compartment of the aircraft. The transportation standards for hand luggage and baggage are set by the airline and may depend on the direction of the flight. You need to familiarize yourself with the rules of the particular company you are going to fly with. There will be no problems with tablets and ampoules with a capacity of no more than 100 ml. But the question of whether it is possible to take thermometers on a plane needs to be considered in more detail.
Rules for transporting thermometers
The rules for transporting mercury medical thermometers are clearly formulated by the Russian Ministry of Transport. Previously, passengers were allowed to bring a mercury thermometer into the cabin, but this is no longer allowed, so it must be checked in as checked baggage. You can familiarize yourself with the restrictions by studying the latest edition of the Order of the Ministry of Transport of Russia dated March 30, 2018 on the Rules for pre-flight and post-flight inspections.
Aircraft passengers are allowed to carry a mercury thermometer on an airplane only in the luggage compartment in a plastic case, well packed and tightly closed. This is due to the fact that passengers will not have access to the luggage or cargo compartments of the aircraft during the flight. A thermometer that does not contain mercury can be carried into the cabin of the ship.
Important! Such restrictions apply not only to passengers, but also to all crew members.
Similar requirements apply to international practice, namely, according to the technical instructions of the International Civil Aviation Organization, it is recommended to prohibit the transportation of mercury medical thermometers.
Why you cannot transport items containing mercury
Most airlines prohibit transporting items containing mercury, as they fall under the category of toxic and toxic substances. Some companies allow you to transport it in luggage, packing it in a case and placing it so that neither shock nor temperature changes will affect or break it. This is due to the fact that if a mercury thermometer breaks at altitude on an airplane, mercury vapor will spread throughout the room, and they have a bad effect on the health of passengers: they can lead to serious illnesses, poisoning and even death. You are putting yourself and the people around you at risk.
The first signs of exposure to fumes are the following:
- Severe headache and nausea.
- Shortness of breath and cough.
- Vision weakens, gums bleed.
- Stomach upset.
Important! Mercury is not excreted from the body and gradually accumulates if the room where the thermometer broke is not thoroughly treated.
An alternative to a mercury thermometer
What to do when there is a need to check the temperature right in the aircraft cabin, because you may have small children with you or your health condition requires constant monitoring. In this case, you should take an autothermometer into the cabin. It can be an electronic thermometer, infrared, non-contact or contact, but the main thing is that it does not contain mercury. Having learned about the advantages of such thermometers, many can switch to using electronic or infrared thermometers:
- It is safe to use such a thermometer because it does not contain mercury.
- The temperature measurement time is short, only about a minute, while a mercury thermometer must be held for at least 5 minutes.
- Illuminated thermometers can be used even in the dark.
- In most options, the history of the latest measurements is stored in the device’s memory.
- A variety of shapes and colors, which is especially convenient for measuring the temperature of young children.
No airline prohibits electronic or infrared thermometers from being carried in cabin baggage.
Before you plan to buy air tickets, you need to study the conditions and rules for transporting things in the cabin and in the luggage compartment, since each airline reserves the right to approve its own list of acceptable and unacceptable items.
