Spirit Flyer Caught Lighting Up After Flight Lands
Joe Cortez August 26, 2021
A flyer traveling out of Florida is in trouble for breaking one of the most cardinal rules of commercial aviation. The passenger was caught on a TikTok video lighting up a cigarette as the aircraft began taxiing to the gate at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
For over 30 years, smoking on a commercial flight and tampering with, disabling, or destroying the smoke detectors located in the lavatories has been prohibited by law. That didn’t stop one woman from lighting a cigarette while her Spirit Airlines flight landed at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL). The Miami Herald reports the entire incident was caught on TikTok.
“I’ve Had a Long Day.”
According to the in-flight accounts shared on TikTok, the inconsiderate flyer decided to light a cigarette after Spirit Flight 845 landed in Fort Lauderdale, arriving from Detroit. Alexa Majdalawi was flying across the aisle from her and asked her to put out the cigarette. When she wouldn’t comply, she called the flight attendants for help and pulled out her phone to share the incident on social media.
@heyalexa_nah##duet with @beatrixtrifonova you guys! She got a video of when she lit up and me talking to her lol 😂 you can hear her say “it’s been a long day”
The first video shared shows a hazy cabin, presumably from the cigarette smoke, followed by Broward County Sheriff’s Office deputies boarding the aircraft. When they approached her, the flyer reportedly told deputies “I’ve had a long day.” After a quick search for any carry-on luggage she may have had, the flyer left escorted by law enforcement.
@heyalexa_nahDefinitely never flying spirit again.
In a statement to the Herald, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office said the flyer agreed to leave the plane and was not arrested for her indiscretion. Federal law requires Spirit to report the incident to the Federal Aviation Administration, but it is unclear if she will be labeled an “unruly passenger,” or what penalties she may face for lighting up on the flight. Regulations allow for up to $2,000 in penalties for attempting to disable the lavatory smoke detector.
A statement from Spirit to the newspaper notes that flight attendants were immediately notified of the incident and were able to confiscate the remains of the extinguished cigarette from the flyer. Law enforcement was called as a precaution to remove the flyer.
Not the First Time Flyers Smoke on Spirit
The incident marks at least the second time a flyer was caught smoking on a Spirit flight. In 2019, another Spirit flyer decided to light a cigarette on the aircraft, with the video shared on Facebook.
This should have been prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Otherwise, more people do it. Exposing people to tobacco smoke is a big no no.
.."escorted off the plane"..... AND NOTHING HAPPENS to her. No enforcement.... just a dog and pony show and no respect for authority. Uniforms and badges and nothing is done..... why bother calling them at all ??
So all the other passengers were delayed in getting off the plane due to her illegal behavior. At a minimum she should have been assessed a heavy fine.
Stay classy, bargain basement flyers.
You know, I just realized there's a really good market for an 'all smoking' airline.