requires a long list of banned items to guarantee a safe flight. These include aerosols, lithium batteries, , and fireworks. But there may be an unsuspecting item on the list: coconut.
The beloved fruit can be found in delicious dishes and cocktails and is a sunshine traveler's favorite traveler's—but it can be dangerous in flight. The British newspaper explains that passengers can take whole coconuts on a plane, whether in their carry-on or checked baggage. However, the oil-rich inner part of the coconut, known to many as the fruit's meat, is prohibited on most flights.
This restriction is due to copra, the dried white flesh of the coconut that contains a high amount of oil, typically used for making coconut oil. According to the guidelines on dangerous goods, copra is considered a fire risk during air travel. This is because copra, classified under Class 4 hazardous goods, is a flammable solid that could potentially self-ignite or produce flammable gases when it comes into contact with water, posing a significant safety risk onboard.
told the British media "Perishable goods (such as fruits, flowers, and vegetables) were among the first commodities carried by air. However, such goods deteriorate over time and under extreme temperatures and humidity and must thus be handled carefully." The IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) manual is the global reference for shipping dangerous goods by air and the only standard recognized by airlines.
" If passengers do bring flammable i.