Here’s a tough one to crack.
There are a lot of things everyone knows will get you stopped at airport security, from weaponry in your carry-on to controlled substances to water bottles.
Lately, however, there’s been a rumor floating around the internet regarding the illicit nature of a whole different kind of allegedly forbidden fruit — one that many can’t believe might pose any threat in midair.
Seriously, though — are we allowed to take coconuts on a plane, or will doing so result in a complimentary government-issue colonoscopy?
The seemingly cuckoo question has been hanging on the air since health influencer Dr. Paul Saladino filmed himself taking nearly a dozen of the tree fruits — packed inside his suitcase — through security.
“This is how I hydrate while traveling,” Saladino proudly posted to X, adding that he won’t drink from plastic bottles.
Turns out, Saladino is right in line with the law — with a few caveats.
In a statement to Food and Wine, a Transportation Security Administration spokesperson said: “Coconuts and other solid food items are permitted in checked and carry-on bags.”
However, travelers headed to the U.S. Mainland from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands may face further scrutiny.
This is due to restrictions in place to prevent plant-invading pests.
If you’re traveling further abroad, be aware that some flight safety administrations besides our own believe that what’s inside the coco can make a flight go loco — issuing a total ban.
There’s truth to that, according to the experts — Copra, the technical name for the white fleshy part of a coconut, is said to be an explosive risk, landing it on the International Air Transport Association’s Dangerous Goods Register.
The tropical treat is listed by the IATA as a class 4 dangerous good, akin to sulphur or matches, according to The Independent — earning it a ban from many European carriers like Ryanair and Easyjet.
Specifically when dry, copra is a “flammable solid liable to spontaneous combustion” which can “emit flammable gases when in contact with water,” the outlet reported.
Also, “copra dust may be ignited by a single spark,” the IATA reports, and fat contents can lead to a “risk of self-heating.”
That could explain why some countries, like India, say a blanket no. At Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, dried coconuts make up 9% of confiscated items, reports Conde Nast Traveler India.
A spokesperson told the outlet that the fleshy fruits contain “a high amount of oil that is highly flammable and can cause a fire if it encounters heat inside the aircraft.”