Whoever used the term "over reaction" may not have keyed in on the presence of smoke in the cabin. Smoke in the cabin, or the smell thereof, especially when the source is unknown or inaccessible, is an immediate and dire emergency.
In a pressurized airplane, smoke will travel to the outflow valve(s). The route it will take depends on the design of the pressurization system and the configuration of the valves, but that is the only place it is going.
Last edited by BobnSpike; 16th Jan 2013 at 06:20.