Illuminated no-smoking seat signs
 

Why do they still have those signs at every seat in newer planes? Are their any commercial flights that still allow smoking at all? Why not have a few permanent signs, or a few pasted decals (like in trains or buses)? Paired up with the Seatbelt sign makes one think they'd want to switch it off sometime....

Does the crew even have a switch to turn that sign off any more? Wouldn't it make wiring easier, costs lower and more importantly reduce cabin clutter to get rid of these per-seat, lighted, no-smoking signs?

Maybe they made sense in the 70's but most public places are already smoking free so people must be more conditioned not to light up, I hope?

Requirement is still in ICAO recommended practices, and in national laws/regulations. Not a high priority to get rid of old rules at ICAO. I recall hearing that one US airline had converted theirs to 'turn off your electric gadget lights'. I thought that was a very good idea, but perhaps the FAA didn't allow it.

I had a BA flight some years back - a 757 IIRC - where the 'No Smoking' and 'Seat belt' signs had got reversed! Don't know how. Gave the CC soemthing to put in the tech log.

OK, I gave up smoking some 18 months ago and I'm well over it but to constantly see a pic of a cigarette with a red line thru it constantly does rub it in to the smokers that they are not allowed to.

Give respect to the, otherwise, smokers, they'll play by your rules but refrain from rubbing their faces in it ..... respectfully please :)

Compared to the train announcements that obsessively mention that 'smoking is not allowed on any part of this train' after departure from every station :ugh: a constantly lit no smoking sign is a mere annoyance.

We have some new 747-8's although they are freighters the No Smoking sign is indeed a placard ratther than a switchable light, I know they are freighters, but perhaps a sign of things to come (pun intended!).

Some of the newer 737-800's I fly on have a placard in place for no smoking. Looks like common sense is prevailing in aviation after all...

The no smoking sign, if it is even lit and not just a placard, is not wired to the former no-smoking sign switch anymore in our aircraft. That switch has been converted into a cabin crew chime switch and is used to release them for service or tell them when to begin preparations for landing without the need to cycle the seat belt signs.

Oh yes, those good old 70s / early 80s when you could even buy a (literally) smoking ticket! Now please don't call me Shirley ;)

I was reading the other day that JR Shinkansens still had smoking section, but I don't think JAL / ANA flights still do?

@blue tui

mean your bean counters have finally accepted to accept the optional 'switch off electronic devices' sign (at no charge)...

The new signs are a customer option from all aircraft manufacturers, but it is still up to the customer to select it. And there are countries where the regulatory authorities still require it.

After two years of flying beyond "No Smoking" rule, we still had ashtrays in the armrests.

I made the suggestion that we install blanking plates. Was done.

Now the bastards smoke in the lavs and don't know how to extinghish cigs under a tap of water.

I was thinking the same thing the other night whilst on a 12 hour flight looking at the rows of 'non smoking' lights. I also question why boarding passes still have a 'smoking' symbol on them, which is always of course XXXed out.

Our recently delivered new aircraft all have ashtrays in the LAVs......

Talk about giving them ideas! :ugh:

OTOH, if there had to be designed a designated smokers "cage" the LAV sounds optimal. Maybe one of the LAV's can be "hardened": airtight, fire-resistant doors, no fancy fittings, fireproof butt-wipes, and a blast of N2 enriched bleed between users. If the halon system mis-fires during a smoke, bad luck and RIP. :E

Saudi Airlines brand new 773 which I flew on the other day had two illuminated signs, neither are for smoking. One for seatbelt, and the other for electrical devices. Every 5 rows or so was a 'no smoking' sticker (not that the cabin crew took much notice of this down the back galley :E).

I believe that the thinking on this is as follows...

You may not smoke anywhere. If you do decide to sneak a cigarette in the aircraft toilet, we would rather that you dispose of it in the ashtray than try and hide it somewhere else where we can't find it so easily and where it might set fire to something else that blazes more merrily. We'll still have to do all the usual checks - going through the waste bin and compartments because if you're stupid enough to smoke in the toilet in the first place, you're also stupid enough to do almost anything.

Part of me wonders, in this age of smart sensors, is it so hard to design a system that makes every LAV smoke bring swift and sure detection and punishment. How do so many people get away with LAV smoking?

"Smoking is not permitted in any part of this aircraft. It is also prohibited to smoke in the toilets" And there was me thinking the toilets were part of the aircraft. And another, while I'm on a rant. Hotel rooms. "For the comfort of our guests, this room has been designated a no-smoking room. However, if you wish to smoke, an ashtray is provided in the bedside cabinet"

Ashtrays in modern aircraft II'm told is due to regulatory requirement in most countries of manufacture (e.g US & France) for the reasons stated above... (rather the idiots stub out in the ashtray than the wastepaper bin)

Still doesn't stop the bogans saying "Oh but if there's ashtrays then I can smoke"

Once had a guy threaten to get me sacked because he wouldn't open the door, smoke streaming out from the cracks... we opened it from the outside and he was sitting with his pants around his knees having a ciggie!! Not my fault he was an idiot! lol....

Having said that I do know of crew who used to smoke in the cockpit... am told it was especially easy on older a/c...

One thing's for sure, on a long overwater flight that cigarette smell sure sticks out & gets the heart rate up...!

So just to make sure then - are there any scheduled passenger airlines that still allow smoking, anywhere in the world?

Presumably the "Smokers' Express" type business plans are, well err - well & truly stubbed out?