The no smoking signs are ubiquitous, but so are the ashtrays (by U.S. federal law). So what happens when someone just decides ignore the signs and light up?
In India, a smoker refused to extinguish cigarette on a recent flight, forcing his ejection and an extended delay for the other passengers onboard.
Vistara flight 707 was traveling from New Delhi (DEL) to Kolkata (CCU). As the aircraft prepared for departure, a male passenger decided to pull out a cigarette and light it up. The flight attendants did not freak out or even start yelling. They simply instructed the man to immediately extinguish it.
But he refused.
Next, the captain issued him a warning letter to stop smoking. Seriously? Apparently, so…
But he still refused.
Thus, the captain was forced to return to the gate and deplane the offending passenger.
A spokesperson for Vistara told the New Indian Express:
We had an unruly passenger who insisted on smoking on board. He was issued a warning letter by the captain and later offloaded when he denied to comply with air safety rules. Vistara regrets the delay.
CONCLUSION
I just thought the warning letter merited a post of its own. In the USA, a smoker probably would be tackled by fellow passengers and dragged off a plane by airport police. A bit more dramatic than a warning letter…
Ironically, the flight was delayed again when it finally pushed back from the gate. A passenger demanded to be offloaded due to a “personal emergency.”
> Read More: Do Any Airlines Still Allow Onboard Smoking?
I was on a domestic flight within India last week. Seated next to a Canadian man who had been on a month long trip. While taking off, I saw a whiff of smoke and assumed a phone or charger catching fire. The man sheepishly pulled his tshirt over his mouth and then smiled at me. He said he was vaping as he’s an anxious flier.
Irony is he was talking about how some Chinese airlines have had issues with pilots smoking and chatting about other stuff few minutes before that. I told him it was wrong and he said he would use the bathroom for vaping. He was gone for long stretches during the flight and I assume was vaping away to glory in the airline bathroom.
I did not complain to the air attendant out of laziness and indifference.
Also because vaping literally does nothing but emit water vapor. If not for prudish Americans, vaping would be allowed.
Federal law requires ashtrays? I always wondered why they are still in all the lavatory doors, even on new Dreamliners!