Why is there a rule not to smoke on airplanes?

Learn more about the process of issuing bans and penalties to smokers who steal on the plane.

In 1973, 123 passengers were killed on Varig Flight 820 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris due to smoke inhalation. It all originated from a badly burned cigarette in the Boeing 707 cabin. The cigarette was then thrown into a garbage bin by a person in a burning state and became the main cause of the fire that burned the majority. planes.

Until now, smoking on airplanes was a completely prohibited act everywhere. However, few people know that smoking ban on airplanes has started in the US aviation industry since 1988 and then it was lifted in 1990.

Under the provisions of the American Aviation Association (FAA), it is taboo to light up or do any action that creates smoke or fire on commercial flights.

However, the FAA has not clearly defined these rules for a new type of electronic cigarettes. Therefore, the rules that apply to electronic smoking depend on the individual of each airline.

In the past, lawyer Ralph Nalder was the first person to call for a law to ban smoking on airplanes. In 1971, the US aviation industry decided to add this law, but it caused a drastic reaction from cigarette manufacturers as well as airlines themselves. In 1984, the Civil Aviation Commission even banned and then lifted the ban on smoking many times.

The smoking ban on US domestic flights that lasted less than two hours began to take effect in April 1988 and later extended to flights of less than six hours in February 1990. Finally, this ban has been applied to all domestic and international flights since 2000.

Another noteworthy point is that pilots were sometimes allowed to continue smoking after the ban was issued in 1990.The reason is said that smoking will help them reduce stress due to focus on controlling the aircraft so that it is safe.

But there is a problem, why the smoking ban on airplanes has been issued but still exists the ashtray on the aircraft's toilet. Some argue that perhaps the use of some aircraft used during the time of the ban has led to misunderstandings that many smokers on airplanes.

And penalties for smoking "theft" on the plane

Normally, if a passenger is found smoking in prohibited areas on an airplane, they will face a fine of up to $ 5,000 (or about 100 million VND) or worse, be arrested immediately after the plane lands. Even in some cases, the aircraft had to land earlier than intended for the security department to handle the violator.

However, there are still people who have disregarded this rule and followed their personal wishes, which resulted in serious consequences. In 2010, a Qatarese passenger was arrested for smoking on a Denver airline flight and also threatened people when they were "approached" by security personnel on the plane .

He then joked that he was just trying to burn his shoelaces and not intend to smoke. Another case is the famous singer Amy Winehouse when she often spends most of her flight time hiding in a smoking cabin. Despite the complaints of the passengers sitting nearby, there was no impact from the airline as well as the authorities with this celebrity.

Next, in early 2013, a family made the Sunwing aircraft to land emergencyly down the Bermuda triangle triangle because of smoking. Later, the two oldest members of the family were arrested by police, paying $ 500 (about 10 million) per person fine and 10 days in prison.