Pervasive Crew smoking on China Eastern true?
Nov 22, 2017, 1:40 am
#31
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 229
I vowed that I wouldn’t reply to any more of these posts about allegations of smoking. And yet.,,. there are mandatory smoke dectotrs in crew rest areas and in galleys, and in purser stations and several other parts of the aircraft that would activate. The idea that the crew disable these for a smoke and the re-enable them (so that they can be checked at maintenance check) is just unbelievable.
Nov 22, 2017, 4:11 am
#32
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I vowed that I wouldn’t reply to any more of these posts about allegations of smoking. And yet.,,. there are mandatory smoke dectotrs in crew rest areas and in galleys, and in purser stations and several other parts of the aircraft that would activate. The idea that the crew disable these for a smoke and the re-enable them (so that they can be checked at maintenance check) is just unbelievable.
China attitude toward smoking has changed drastically. Sad to see people repeating old cliches without any recent evidence. I guess that it is typical of FT.
Nov 22, 2017, 6:51 am
#33
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I have yet to fly on a mainland Chinese carrier, so can't comment one way or the other on alleged smoking by the crew. However...
... several posts in this thread claim direct first hand experience in the last year or so, thus your characterization of "repeating old cliches without any recent evidence" seems inaccurate.
... several posts in this thread claim direct first hand experience in the last year or so, thus your characterization of "repeating old cliches without any recent evidence" seems inaccurate.
Nov 24, 2017, 2:20 pm
#34
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,756
Two weeks (Nov 12, 2017) ago on MU CAN-HGH leg (JFK-CAN-HGH) in J cabin smelled like smoke. Notice that was a domestic connection after international CZ (JFK-CAN) segment. Maybe they didn't clean the seats well enough or maybe the pilot was smoking but I suspected the later. Asked other J pax and they smelled the same. It was a short flight so I didn't complain much.
Nov 24, 2017, 7:17 pm
#35
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I vowed that I wouldn’t reply to any more of these posts about allegations of smoking. And yet.,,. there are mandatory smoke dectotrs in crew rest areas and in galleys, and in purser stations and several other parts of the aircraft that would activate. The idea that the crew disable these for a smoke and the re-enable them (so that they can be checked at maintenance check) is just unbelievable.
I do believe that you have never experienced it, and it is certainly hard in 2017 coming from America to believe it, but it happened. If you think I'm making it up, I guess it's the internet and you're free to do so--I only have my limited history here for you to judge me on.
It was not particularly bothersome, and for an interminable flight, it was an overall decent flight in back especially for the price--I'd do it again.
Nov 24, 2017, 10:17 pm
#36
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I am telling you that I was in the very back of the plane, and I smelled fresh cigarette smoke several times during the flight, worse as I got closer to the tail end of the plane where crew rest is. People were talking about it. I guess it could have come all the way from the pilots to very back, but I made the assumption that it didn't travel that far but rather occurred where it smelled the strongest.
I do believe that you have never experienced it, and it is certainly hard in 2017 coming from America to believe it, but it happened. If you think I'm making it up, I guess it's the internet and you're free to do so--I only have my limited history here for you to judge me on.
It was not particularly bothersome, and for an interminable flight, it was an overall decent flight in back especially for the price--I'd do it again.
I do believe that you have never experienced it, and it is certainly hard in 2017 coming from America to believe it, but it happened. If you think I'm making it up, I guess it's the internet and you're free to do so--I only have my limited history here for you to judge me on.
It was not particularly bothersome, and for an interminable flight, it was an overall decent flight in back especially for the price--I'd do it again.
Crew on on a major US carrier have shown me how they still smoke on board. But that is in a well ventilated place where the smoke can be evacuated with minimal impact (according to them!!)
Nov 25, 2017, 9:52 am
#37
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I'm sitting on a MU flight right now, using the inflight wifi, and there is definitely somebody smoking. This is about the 3rd flight it's happened (out of like 10). This is also ULH (PVG JFK).
Nov 25, 2017, 2:00 pm
#38
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: CGK
Posts: 2,375
I know its not MU, but I've flown on a China Airlines (CI) flight once on HKG-TPE where a lady decided that it was a good idea to smoke in the lavatory. Afterwards, she got in trouble with the crew (who professionally handled the situation). Afterwards, the crew members sprayed air fresheners(?) and announced in the intercom that smoking onboard is prohibited and is a punishable offence.
Kudos to CI
Kudos to CI
Nov 26, 2017, 11:32 am
#39
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i guess it depends what you mean by crew rest? In the small upstairs box it would be potentially dangerous with bedding and a confined space, plus a smell which other crew would have to sleep though. Could it have been coming from the galley? That would be a 'safer' space to smoke.
Crew on on a major US carrier have shown me how they still smoke on board. But that is in a well ventilated place where the smoke can be evacuated with minimal impact (according to them!!)
Crew on on a major US carrier have shown me how they still smoke on board. But that is in a well ventilated place where the smoke can be evacuated with minimal impact (according to them!!)
Nov 26, 2017, 6:49 pm
#40
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Since many people in China still smoke heavily, could the smell on planes come from the passengers? i mean their clothes etc. if you have half the flight smoking right before they board wouldnt that create a strong smell?
Dec 25, 2017, 5:44 am
#41
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 1
Disappointing flight with continued smoke smell on China Eastern
I just returned from a trip using China Eastern Toronto Shanghai route Dec 10 + Dec 24 (MU207). On both legs there are frequent smoking smell in the ambient air. There are merciful moments when there was not but soon after it occurred again - the patterns were a classic one with a frequent smoker(s). I have asked the flight attendants on both legs and in Chinese and English. On the Shanghai-toronto flight the flight security officer (a Mr. Mo) came and talked to me twice in response. He did not say my smell capacity was the problem, but in the mean time he vouched that he knew the 17 flight crew personally and they don’t smoke. He also said the air circulation system in the cockpit is separate from the cabin one and he also knows the pilot crew and they don’t smoke. We agreed that someone is smoking but he grudgingly accepted the possibility that may be a passenger is smoking. It meant he did not do his job right and that was his preferred conclusion. He also said there are new laws starting July 2017 that severely punishes smoking by anyone, including the pilots. He seemed a smart guy who was juggling a lot of things in his head.
In my view, the high frequency and intensity and long duration of the smoking, the non focused source of smoke that is in the ambient air points, and the effort reported to me by the security officer - all adding together to a strong likelihood that the pilots smoke! The length the cabin crew are made to cover this up is also disturbing, along with the threat to passengers’ health!
Dec 25, 2017, 10:23 am
#43
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Here is my play-along logic:
1 - no one is smoking in the cockpit
2 - no one in the cabin is smoking
3 - no one in the crew rest is smoking
Then, it must be a passenger in the lav. Smoke detector did not go off. Something is defective or the person tempered with the smoke detector. File a complaint with Transport Canada (or FAA for US flights) on the safety deficiency. If a few passengers do few of these, they will start paying attention.
1 - no one is smoking in the cockpit
2 - no one in the cabin is smoking
3 - no one in the crew rest is smoking
Then, it must be a passenger in the lav. Smoke detector did not go off. Something is defective or the person tempered with the smoke detector. File a complaint with Transport Canada (or FAA for US flights) on the safety deficiency. If a few passengers do few of these, they will start paying attention.
Dec 25, 2017, 10:47 am
#44
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: CT USA
Posts: 2,577
If my pilot is a heavy smoker on the ground I think I may want him to have a cigarette or two on a long haul. It's not the end of the world.
Of course, I remember when the passengers were allowed to smoke at their seats.
ETA: this seems to be one of those things that is blowing up to be an urban legend
Of course, I remember when the passengers were allowed to smoke at their seats.
ETA: this seems to be one of those things that is blowing up to be an urban legend
Dec 25, 2017, 11:34 pm
#45
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out of my 200+ chinese domestic flights, I've never smelled any in flight smoking yet. Maybe they do smoke on long haul flights, which I hardly take with chinese airlines.