The unanswered questions

[monkey68]

So I have a question that I can't seem to find an answer to. All flights are non smoking flights, correct? And they say it is illegal to tamper with the smoke detectors in the airplane bathrooms. So why is it when I went into the bathroom on my JetBlue flight, they had an ashtray in the door?

 

[Traveliz]

So I have a question that I can't seem to find an answer to. All flights are non smoking flights, correct? And they say it is illegal to tamper with the smoke detectors in the airplane bathrooms. So why is it when I went into the bathroom on my JetBlue flight, they had an ashtray in the door?

Most likely because the planes are that old -- it wasn't always illegal.

Liz

 

[Beca]

It is illegal to smoke on domestic published flights. However, airlines also use those planes for charter flights (private companies, travel packages, military, etc.) In each of those cases, the company chartering the plane can set the rules as to whether smoking is allowed or not.

 

[scrapquilter]

because the planes are built generically, and some of them are based on designs that are older than the non-smoking laws. Also, not all other countries ban smoking on the airplanes, and those same model planes might be used in those countries.

 

[jaycat]

Lots of planes are rebuilt form the 80's - it could have been an old plane body.

 

[Beca]

Also, many planes are purchased from other airlines, or are leased from banks instead of purchased from the airlines. Some of these planes are currently leased to US carriers, but before that were leased by carriers from other countries (where smoking is still allowed). The cockpit door has a placard that tells who owns the plane. I was a flight attendant for 8 years, and it was amazing to see who owned all the planes I flew on. The carrier I worked for even had a plane that supposedly had been involved in a highjacking in the fleet!! It used to be leased by a middle-eastern airline, and had been highjacked somewhere over there. Supposedly, the first officer had been shot (I'm not sure if he survived or not), but there was still a mark in the dashboard where a bullet had hit....it was so freaky!!! I used to hate flying on that plane....just bad mojo!!! Of course, it could all have been a big lie, but pilots showed me the mark....something definitely happened....it's just hard to tell if the pilots were telling the truth, or if they just wanted to believe how many flight attendants would believe such a thing!!