Travellers are being informed about the prohibition of a specific fruit on aircraft due to its potential for spontaneous combustion. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has included a certain food item on its latest list of banned items for flights, highlighting a health and safety concern. Although passengers can transport whole coconuts in both their carry-on and checked luggage, the restriction applies to the dried coconut meat, known as copra, inside the fruit. Copra, rich in oil, is deemed highly flammable and thus, a fire hazard, leading to its exclusion from both carry-on and checked luggage across most airlines. The only exemption granted is for retail-packaged coconut products.
Dried coconut is classified by the IATA as a Class 4 Dangerous Good, indicating it as a flammable solid. This categorization places dried coconut alongside other hazardous items like matches, firelighters, metal powders, and sodium batteries. IATA's classification underscores the potential risks associated with air transport of such goods.
The organization collaborates with local governments and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to formulate effective and operationally feasible regulations for the transport of dangerous goods. The IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) manual serves as the universal guide for the air shipment of hazardous materials and is the sole standard recognized by airlines. The Civil Aviation Authority also lists highly flammable coconut meat among the substances prohibited in carry-on luggage.
Source: express.co.uk