(D) Little Aviation Facts

[catyak]

If your aircraft ashtrays are missing or otherwise not serviceable then you can't take off on a revenue flight. This is despite the fact that smoking is banned on pretty much all airlines. A BA 747 was apparently delayed for half an hour by this problem recently

Comments

[gerald_duck]

I remember, many years ago, helping my mum to take my grandmother down to Eastbourne for a fortnight's holiday in a Methodist hotel. They didn't allow drinking; they didn't allow smoking.

Each guest bedroom contained an ashtray on which was placed a notice saying that the ashtray was there to comply with Health and Safety regulations, but that smoking was strictly prohibited.

I can understand that law, and can understand the similar aviation law. Neither law reflects well on nicotine addicts, though - a very large group of people highly prone to violating laws that restrict their activities. Perhaps a pragmatic approach would be for airlines to start giving out free nicotine chewing gum along with the pretzels and beer?

[catyak]

The reasoning behind provision of ashtrays is that there are people who will still light up regardless of the rules. There have been cases of aircraft fires and crashes caused by a lit cigarette end being discarded in the waste paper bin in the toilet, so the thinking is that if there's a proper place to stub out the cigarette, hopefully it will be used and the fire and possible ensuing crash will be avoided.

The same thinking possibly is behind the hotel - at least if there's an approved place to put used cigarettes, it'll minimise the damage if someone does break the rules.

D