Passenger smoked in lav
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,925
Passenger smoked in lav
Yesterday was a first time experience for me. The two guys sitting across from me on a flight to SFO were downing JD & cokes. After ordering their 6th round of JD, the older (60s ?) of the two goes to the lav. When he returns to his seat, he is reeking of cigarette smoke. He chuckled and leaned over to his buddy and told him what he did. Shortly thereafter, a FA comes to him and told the guy that he smoked in the lav. The guy tried to halfheartedly deny it, but the FA said he was cutting them off from anymore alcohol. The FA left and the smoker started laughing and loudly making jokes about what he had done.
When we landed at SFO, the captain comes on the intercom and says that there is a little bit of traffic in the alley and we’ll have to wait a little before pulling into the gate. After a few minutes, we get to the gate, the captain tells everyone to remain seated. Some guy in a suit comes on the plane and goes directly to the smoker and quietly tells him to follow him off the plane. When I walked off the plane, there were 3 SFPD bicycle officers at the gate and the smoker was standing behind some stanchions, kinda penned off. I guess the last joke was on him. I’m not sure that he’ll be flying home on United.
When we landed at SFO, the captain comes on the intercom and says that there is a little bit of traffic in the alley and we’ll have to wait a little before pulling into the gate. After a few minutes, we get to the gate, the captain tells everyone to remain seated. Some guy in a suit comes on the plane and goes directly to the smoker and quietly tells him to follow him off the plane. When I walked off the plane, there were 3 SFPD bicycle officers at the gate and the smoker was standing behind some stanchions, kinda penned off. I guess the last joke was on him. I’m not sure that he’ll be flying home on United.
#4
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#5
Join Date: Jan 2002
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So how much {is} first offense?
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Feb 6, 2019 at 10:04 am Reason: inappropriate phasing
#6
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The original fail was serving anybody six drinks. Smoking in the lav shows what impaired judgment can do for passenger safety. As this was reported to law enforcement, there will be follow up by UA as well. That will likely lead to some action against the FA.
As to the civil penalty, a lot depends. Local cops will turn over the investigation to FAA. FAA will typically propose a penalty which the passenger may accept, pay, and end the mess. Or, the passenger may contest, have a hearing before an ALJ and either win or lose and then pay whatever it is that the ALJ assesses.
As to the civil penalty, a lot depends. Local cops will turn over the investigation to FAA. FAA will typically propose a penalty which the passenger may accept, pay, and end the mess. Or, the passenger may contest, have a hearing before an ALJ and either win or lose and then pay whatever it is that the ALJ assesses.
#7
Join Date: Aug 2008
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1. Sometimes it must really suck to be an FA/adult baby sitter
2. What happened to the smoke detector? broken? disabled?
3. Who knows what happened to the guy? It could have been a slap on the wrist. Half the time when it escalates to "news worthy", it sounds like they just get a stern talking to and then are free to go on their way.
4. I wouldn't be surprised if he was on UA going home. When I read about passengers who get kicked off of flights, most of the time, the "news" story just says that they get put on a later flight (after they sober up)
I do remember one time seeing the guy next to me using a vaporizer at his seat with the FA standing next to him. It was less popular back then and I remember being confused as to what it was.
2. What happened to the smoke detector? broken? disabled?
3. Who knows what happened to the guy? It could have been a slap on the wrist. Half the time when it escalates to "news worthy", it sounds like they just get a stern talking to and then are free to go on their way.
4. I wouldn't be surprised if he was on UA going home. When I read about passengers who get kicked off of flights, most of the time, the "news" story just says that they get put on a later flight (after they sober up)
I do remember one time seeing the guy next to me using a vaporizer at his seat with the FA standing next to him. It was less popular back then and I remember being confused as to what it was.
Last edited by eng3; Feb 6, 2019 at 6:38 am
#8
Join Date: Apr 2016
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I had a friend of a friend who bragged about getting away with smoking the lav. Some planes have a venturi effect sink drain, where when you push the drain stopper open it sort of pops and there is the sound of rushing air. He said he would stick his face in the sink, put a towel over his head holding the drain open and vent it overboard that way. While it sounded like a pretty awful experience, it also sounded plausible.
#9
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#10
Join Date: Dec 2009
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The original fail was serving anybody six drinks. Smoking in the lav shows what impaired judgment can do for passenger safety. As this was reported to law enforcement, there will be follow up by UA as well. That will likely lead to some action against the FA.
As to the civil penalty, a lot depends. Local cops will turn over the investigation to FAA. FAA will typically propose a penalty which the passenger may accept, pay, and end the mess. Or, the passenger may contest, have a hearing before an ALJ and either win or lose and then pay whatever it is that the ALJ assesses.
As to the civil penalty, a lot depends. Local cops will turn over the investigation to FAA. FAA will typically propose a penalty which the passenger may accept, pay, and end the mess. Or, the passenger may contest, have a hearing before an ALJ and either win or lose and then pay whatever it is that the ALJ assesses.
I'm not in favor of a serious drunk being on my flight but I am also not interested in a number being used to determine how many drinks someone gets on a flight. I've certainly drank 6 drinks on a DEN-LHR flight but not on a DEN-MTJ.
#11
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 85
I had a friend of a friend who bragged about getting away with smoking the lav. Some planes have a venturi effect sink drain, where when you push the drain stopper open it sort of pops and there is the sound of rushing air. He said he would stick his face in the sink, put a towel over his head holding the drain open and vent it overboard that way. While it sounded like a pretty awful experience, it also sounded plausible.
#12
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He may has disabled or destroyed the smoke detector in the lavatory. That's a safety hazard. It's also a potential safety hazard for someone to dispose of a lighted/used cigarette in the lavatory trash basket. I'm surprised that the FA didn't take additional steps during the flight, such as wetting or inspecting everything in the lavatory' trash basket and possibly closing the lavatory to passenger use since it might not have had a functioning smoke detector.
Once I was on a flight where someone started to smoke in the lavatory and several FAs came running with fire extinguishers.
Once I was on a flight where someone started to smoke in the lavatory and several FAs came running with fire extinguishers.
#13
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Since when is doing your job grounds for punitive action?
How do you know he/she didn't? Maybe that's why there was a delay in the FA speaking with the passenger.
How do you know he/she didn't? Maybe that's why there was a delay in the FA speaking with the passenger.
#14
Join Date: Jun 2014
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He may has disabled or destroyed the smoke detector in the lavatory. That's a safety hazard. It's also a potential safety hazard for someone to dispose of a lighted/used cigarette in the lavatory trash basket. I'm surprised that the FA didn't take additional steps during the flight, such as wetting or inspecting everything in the lavatory' trash basket and possibly closing the lavatory to passenger use since it might not have had a functioning smoke detector.
Once I was on a flight where someone started to smoke in the lavatory and several FAs came running with fire extinguishers.
Once I was on a flight where someone started to smoke in the lavatory and several FAs came running with fire extinguishers.
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