In my opinion, allowing people to smoke on a plane is about as stupid an idea as allowing this woman to get back on one.
I am a non smoker, and the thought of sitting in a tin tube at 35000ft breathing in somebody elses habit is a nightmare.
I have friends who do the sensible thing when they fly on a long haul flight. They pop into Boots the Chemist and buy some nicorete patches. They tell me it gets them through the flight with no craving at all.
Maybe these patches should be sold at the gate !