No Smoking Rule on Planes is a Serious Matter!

The no smoking policy on planes is for a reason:  For the safety of the aircraft and everyone on board!  (Not to mention the collective sigh of relief of all non-smokers).  It’s amazing that there are still people out there who don’t realize the seriousness of this rule, and what might happen to those who flaunt it.  However, it’s not just those who can’t wait to light up a cigarette causing the problems, as you will discover. 

Anyone who’s been in the toilet when turbulence hits or suffered through a bumpy airline meal is aware of what wind can do to a plane.  Wind can cause all sorts of problems for aircraft, including crosswinds, wind shear, updrafts, downdrafts and jet wake vortices, to name a few…  So, remember this warning as you plan your next pre-flight meal (you might want to skip the baked beans).

Last week an airliner in America was forced to land after passengers reported a burning smell.  Everyone was evacuated and the plane searched for explosives.  The passengers were interrogated by the FBI until one woman finally ‘cracked under pressure’ and admitted she had struck matches to mask her gas attack.   She has been banned from flying with that particular airline again but, lucky for her, no criminal charges were filed.

We had a similar experience last year on a low-cost flight to Europe.  While checking the cabin and toilets in preparation for landing, a flight attendant smelled smoke in one of the toilet cubicles.   I observed the ensuing events from the discomfort of my seat.  The last person to use that toilet was the young woman sitting just a couple of rows in front of us.  It became apparent the flight attendants were moving into ‘emergency’ mode.  A call was made to the cockpit.  The woman was approached by a flight attendant and asked politely if she had smoked in the toilet.  The woman denied it.  The flight attendant returned again and asked more insistently if she had smoked in the toilet.  Anyone sitting within a few rows could clearly hear the conversation and rising urgency and annoyance in the voice of the flight attendant.  More phone calls.  The flight attendant returned again.  This time very insistent, saying the woman may have put the aircraft and all the passengers in danger.  She asked the woman what she did with the cigarette.   Several more phone calls ensued.  We were feeling a bit uneasy at this point. 

The woman must have eventually confessed, though we didn’t hear that part.  We heard mention of her being ‘detained by authorities’ after landing.   As we exited the plane, the woman and her companion were asked to remain in their seats and exit last.  We saw uniformed personnel heading for the plane and wondered what happened to her.  Our thoughts were that passengers should be told of the seriousness of the non-smoking policy, and the possible consequences, when boarding.  Obviously, just asking passengers to observe the no-smoking rule is not enough.   Also, the question has to be asked… why are matches even allowed in carry-on luggage?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 12th, 2006 at 10:30 am and is filed under Traveller's Tales .

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