Stinky fish ban

last updated 8 January 2015

Stockholm

International airlines have asked Swedish passengers not to bring fermented herring, their smelly national dish, on board with them. British Airways and Air France said that tins of the herring, called surstromming, pose a safety risk because they could explode at high altitudes, spraying the cabin with foul bits of fish. Getting the smell out of the seats, they fear, could take days. “We’re not saying bin Laden is going to start using surstromming as a weapon,” said Jan Lindqvist, a spokesman for Stockholm’s airport. “But it is a practical consideration for the airlines.”