When Did US Carriers Eliminate Smoking on Flights?
Jul 23, 2012, 11:55 am
#1
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When Did US Carriers Eliminate Smoking on Flights?
I just read that smoking on USA based airlines (FAA) was not banned until the year 2000.
Just wondering , in what year did UA ban smoking during flight? This is just a question for myself, not a statement that smoking on planes is a good idea.
Thanks.
Just wondering , in what year did UA ban smoking during flight? This is just a question for myself, not a statement that smoking on planes is a good idea.
Thanks.
Jul 23, 2012, 12:00 pm
#3
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Jul 23, 2012, 12:02 pm
#4
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It was definitely in the late 90's when it was banned worldwide on UA flights, however they banned it on domestic flights a few years prior to that. I can remember using the UA Connexion software around 96-97 and when you pulled up seat maps for flights to South America there were seats in the back of the plane marked for smoking. These were the last remaining flights that had smoking seats.
Jul 23, 2012, 12:03 pm
#5
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7/1/97 according to this (not saying it's authoritative):
http://no-smoke.org/document.php?id=334
http://no-smoke.org/document.php?id=334
Jul 23, 2012, 12:21 pm
#6
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It was definitely in the late 90's when it was banned worldwide on UA flights, however they banned it on domestic flights a few years prior to that. I can remember using the UA Connexion software around 96-97 and when you pulled up seat maps for flights to South America there were seats in the back of the plane marked for smoking. These were the last remaining flights that had smoking seats.
IIRC, I think it was the Japan flights that were the last to allow smoking.
Jul 23, 2012, 12:23 pm
#7
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Definitely remember flights to Buenos Aires and Sao Paolo being among the last to go.. I don't remember for sure about NRT.
Jul 23, 2012, 12:36 pm
#9
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Jul 23, 2012, 1:31 pm
#10
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The simple answer to your question, when did UA ban smoking?
Not soon enough!
I hate to recall how awful it was to fly back then. The idea that the front of the plane - let alone the crew - would not suffer from the smokers in the back of the plan amazes me to this day. I am not sure if we knew enough about the health risks of second hand smoke back then, but I can recall many times in row 1 feeling too close to the awful odor generated by those in the rear.
Not soon enough!
I hate to recall how awful it was to fly back then. The idea that the front of the plane - let alone the crew - would not suffer from the smokers in the back of the plan amazes me to this day. I am not sure if we knew enough about the health risks of second hand smoke back then, but I can recall many times in row 1 feeling too close to the awful odor generated by those in the rear.
Last edited by Indelaware; Jul 23, 2012 at 1:53 pm Reason: typo
Jul 23, 2012, 1:46 pm
#11
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The simple answer to your question, when did UA ban smoking?
Not soon enough!
I hate to recall how awful it was to fly back then. They idea that the front of the plane - let alone the crew - would not suffer from the smokers in the back of the plan amazes me to this day. I am not sure if we knew enough about the health risks of second hand smoke back then, but I can recall many times in row 1 feeling too close to the awful odor generated by those in the rear.
Not soon enough!
I hate to recall how awful it was to fly back then. They idea that the front of the plane - let alone the crew - would not suffer from the smokers in the back of the plan amazes me to this day. I am not sure if we knew enough about the health risks of second hand smoke back then, but I can recall many times in row 1 feeling too close to the awful odor generated by those in the rear.
Jul 23, 2012, 1:55 pm
#12
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Wow, where have you been?
Jul 23, 2012, 5:34 pm
#13
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Actually no, it was Delta who did it first... here's an old CNN article about it: http://articles.cnn.com/1998-03-26/t...s?_s=PM:TRAVEL
New York Times article from March 24, 1988: "In a marketing gamble, Northwest Airlines said yesterday that it would ban smoking on all its North American flights. It is the only smoking ban by a major American airline. The rule would take effect on April 23, the same day as does a Federal law prohibiting smoking on domestic flights of two hours or less."
Jul 23, 2012, 5:56 pm
#14
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This NYT article:
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/28/us...ing-curbs.html
Clears things up even further. Apparently, as of 4/23/88 smoking was banned on all flights of less than two hours. NW went further and extended it to all domestic flights not to HI.
Of course there are distinctions between domestic / worldwide bans, etc.
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/28/us...ing-curbs.html
Clears things up even further. Apparently, as of 4/23/88 smoking was banned on all flights of less than two hours. NW went further and extended it to all domestic flights not to HI.
Of course there are distinctions between domestic / worldwide bans, etc.
Jul 23, 2012, 6:34 pm
#15
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I well remember as a teenager flying SAS, on the SEA-CPH route -- the B707 (3-3 seats per row in economy) was set up with smoking on the right side of the aisle, non-smoking on the left side of the aisle! Fortunately, on the flight that I was on, there were relatively few smokers, but still...