Originally Posted by
weero
Well .. I don't. That's just a rationalisation and a way to exonerate the FAA from its sin not modernising it's regulatory inventory.
I think the FAA doesn't want to take a chance some bozo won't smoke and think he stubbed out the cigarette and dump it into the hand towel and tissue bin.
Ref. Air Canada 797, June 2, 1983 - possibly started by a cigarette disposed of improperly in the lab causes
And a number of confirmed aircraft fires started by passengers smoking in the lavatory:
http://www.iasa.com.au/folders/Safet...elavfires.html
I'll opt for keeping an ashtray, though perhaps it ought to be classified as a non-critical item (excluded from the MEL) these days. Though I've experienced boneheaded pax on a couple of flights smoking in the lab since smoking was banned in passenger aircraft.