Yesterday, Ben and I flew Somon Air from Dushanbe to Dubai. It’s an interesting airline that I’ll have more details about later today. I’ll give you a preview, though: the pilots repeatedly smoked in-flight. Even worse, though, is that FAs denied it was happening.
Four times during the 2.5hour flight, in predictable 30-mintue intervals, the undeniable, distinctive smell of cigarette smoke wafted into the cabin. It was a China Eastern redux.
> Read More: Smoking on China Eastern Airlines
The first time it happened, shortly after takeoff, we just laughed. Oddly, smoking appears to be banned indoors in Tajikistan and we saw no one smoking during our time in Dushanbe even outside. Still, smoking seems prevalent in the region and it did not come as a great surprise.
Service was otherwise excellent on the flight, with the two FAs working in business class extremely attentive and friendly. But one FA went from friendly to hostile when I questioned her about the smoking.
The second time we smelled smoke, I imitated taking a drag on a cigarette and asked her if the pilots were smoking.
A horrified look spread across her face and she sternly stated–
No. No. No. Our pilots don’t smoke at all!
She repeatedly shook her head as she stated this and walked away clearly irritated.
Trust me, the smell was overwhelming. This was not an oven or anything else. It was tobacco.
I just don’t get it. Why would a FA lie? Just like on China Eastern. And why would she go so far as to state that the pilots don’t smoke at all?
As far as I know, it is not illegal for pilots to smoke in the cockpit and what recourse do we have anyway?
It’s just amusing that for the second time — on two very different airlines in two different regions of the world — the FA denial was identical: simultaneously humorous and pathetic.
Its likely unprofessionalism. If it was a cultural consideration, they would be very proud of it and not lie to you. You should report it to the airline. I bet that they will take this very seriously.
We are very seriously in safety and quality matters. Kindly accept our apologies for inconvenience occurred by tobacco smell and FA irritation. Currently investigating this case in-depth.
Every article about Somon Air has been a fair review, from your point of view, of our performance and constructive criticism. We will do everything to meet your expectations and hope to see you soon again on-board of Somon Air.
Sincerely yours,
Somon Air
I would be worried having any kind of addict flying a plane
Seriously? Pilots smoke and so do other people! I agree they should NOT be smoking on a flight and especially when flying a plane but your comment is just plain ridiculous!
no self control= addiction IMHO
Occupational hazard that leads to mythomania. Lol….
no self control= addiction IMHO
I see my comments are not suitable where uneducated peasant can only copy-paste….
I was on a Disney Cruise Line ship one morning on my way to breakfast. I had just come out of my stateroom into a long passenger passageway, filled with staterooms, and there was the clear and obvious smell of cigarette smoke, very much a no-no on the ship. I told our room steward who was nearby in the passageway standing by his cart, and he made like he was smelling and he said, “That’s not cigarette smoke, that is toast coming from the dining room.” Toast, he said. Right… The thing that is most likely happening in these cases, I think, is that either the underlings can’t argue with what the big boys are doing (ie pilots), so they tell a lie, or else smokers (like much of the world outside of the United States) either can’t smell it because they are so used to it, or else it isn’t something that bothers them, so they downplay it with a lie. Either way, non smokers know instantly what they are smelling, and it isn’t toast. Some of us just can’t stand the stench. I can walk across a casino floor in Las Vegas (which is necessary to get to the hotel elevators) and I go from no headache to a splitting headache during the walk. Toast doesn’t do that to me.
Ever considered that you were the one in the wrong? That itbwas actually toast and not tobacco smoke?
Or maybe you are always right because…. you’re an american!!!! Congrats!!!
Gosh, James, I seemed to have earned a lot of exclamation points from you, seven of them. I feel honored. Thank you. As for the point you make, perhaps I am wrong, but it is not likely. Tobacco and toast have different smells. Then again you probably suspect that Matthew was wrong about smoking in the cockpit, too. Why do you think a lot of us mistake tobacco for other smells? In your world, does tobacco smell like other things? That must be an interesting world to inhabit.
So…. american is always right because they are american. When presented with logic why they can be wrong, they point fingers at someobe else after insisting they always right. What a coward……
“When presented with logic why they can be wrong….”
What logic? You presented no logic, James. And while I agree that we Americans can sometimes be arrogant, that is not the case here. Toast and tobacco have very different smells, due to their physical properties, and neither “logic” nor nationality have nothing to do with that.
Hahaha, by “nothing,” I meant “anything.” Doh, always double-check your edits!
James
My comment showed up in the wrong place
MIke
Matthew, why do you have to fly on such weird airlines?
Not many options to get from Dushanbe to Dubai.
Isn’t it his job to review airlines? Your question is astronomically weird….
Could it be the cabin crew? I could see crew being very defensive if you blamed it on the captains and it was actually the crew.
Logic of probability. Then again, if logic possibly puts american in the wrong, its not logic. Simply because american never wrong.
Apparently not the brightest people is it?
We all knew Baghdad Bob would pop up somewhere!