In-flight smoking. Business Traveller recalls yesterday's travel
Do you remember being able to smoke on board?
The move to ban it was kick-started in 1988 when US law made it illegal on domestic services of less than two hours, following health lobby pressure. Still, cultural mores and opposition from tobacco firms meant it took at least another decade for many airlines to prohibit it completely.
One member of the editorial team recalls a JAL B747 flight from Tokyo to Heathrow in 1998: “People kept drifting back to the near-empty smoking section for a cigarette and a chat. Many were returning from the Sydney Mardi Gras.
"As the flight progressed, a couple of the ‘boys’ commandeered the drinks trolley – the cabin crew didn’t appear to mind – and started mixing drinks for the smokers, and pretty soon a cocktail party was in full swing as we flew over central Asia’s stunning snow-capped mountains.”
Another staff member recalls the practice less fondly. In 1991 he flew overnight with his young son on a busy Emirates A310. Those passengers who couldn’t get a seat in the business class smoking area went to the back of the cabin after their meal to light up – with fumes wafting around the cabin at midnight, it was hard to sleep.
The US law was extended to flights of less than six hours in 1990. In 1994, Air Canada banned it on all international services. Delta followed the next year, Qantas in 1996 and Virgin Atlantic in 1997.
While British Airways forbade it on domestic flights in 1989, it wasn’t until 1998 that the whole network became smoke-free. Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines prohibited it at the same time.
Carriers from countries where smoking was more socially acceptable took a little longer. Japan Airlines and ANA banned it on all flights in 1999, and Alitalia and Air France in 2000 – the latter offering passengers counselling sessions to ease the pain. Aeroflot followed the year after, and Egyptair in 2003.
Still, it seems the authorities don’t trust us to stick to it – washrooms must still be equipped with ashtrays so there is always a safe disposal place, just in case.
