Smoking on Transatlantic Flights
 

A few days ago I booked a flight on Turkish Air nonstop Chicago to Istanbul and return.<BR><BR>Just this morning I woke up in horror thinking that maybe they allowed smoking on their planes.<BR><BR>I thought I had read somewhere that all airlines prohibit smoking on international flights, but I am not sure on this.<BR><BR>What info do the rest of you have on:<BR>1) the actual rules and<BR>2) the actual enforcement of nonsmoking rules

I know there is no smoking on Air France, but can't comment on your particular airline.

US law prohibits smoking on all flights that either originate or terminate in the United States.

I flew on turkish air twice within Turkey and they don't even allow smoking on short flights so I know they dont on transatlantic. It seemed to be a very nice Airline.

If you have any other questions for which reassurance from the airline itself would reassure you - - their &quot;main website - - http://www.turkishairlines.com/en/index.php - - does reference a US-&quot;sub&quot;-website at http://www.flyturkish.com<BR><BR>And it includes this contacts page:<BR><BR>http://www.flyturkish.com/about.htm<BR><BR>Turkish Airlines<BR>800 874-8875<BR>212 339-9650<BR>9am-7:00pm M-F 9am-3:00pm Sat<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>[email protected]<BR>

Yes, Thank God those days of smoke filled airplane cabins are over! <BR>I remember those long flights sitting next to people smoking frantically, having a drink, trying to stay calm..sip, smoke, sip, smoke, I would get more and more nauseaus:) And then the joke was when they put people in the &quot;non-smoking&quot; section! <BR>So, Hal, I think you can eliminate this worry:)

Smoking is not allowed in Turkish airlines(neither in domestic nor in international fligts)

Smoking is prohibited on transatlantic flights. If a passenger smokes and refuse to stop then the pilot divert plane to nearest airport to have passenger arrested.

Not that I approve of smoking on airplanes, but it is amazing the time and expense we will put into diverting an entire aircraft to arrest someone for lighting a cigarette, when down on planet earth, we can't find resources to arrest and prosecute thieves, muggers, rapists and murderers.

When some nitwit lights up a cancer stick on an aircrat, that person is putting my life and everybody else's life in jeopardy what with all the oxygen around etc. They should be arrested and convicted and sent to jail.

Although I'm glad that all transatlantic flights are non-smoking, it does seem like quite an over kill to divert a plane and land just to arrest a smoker! I'd be furious if I missed a cruise ship or something due to such a diversion. I'd rather assume that the bum was just having a nicotine attack, put him in the far end of the plane...let him have his cigarette and still arrive at my destination on schedule! (Not sure if this is still true or not but I recall several years ago on a transatlantic flight where the crew inside the cockpit WAS allowed to smoke---we certainly don't want the pilot going through withdrawls!---I was in 1st class and when the cockpit door was opened I could see the cigarette smoke and it was a USA airline)

Interesting...yes, I would certainly imagine that the cockpit crew is able to smoke on long flights. We certainly want them to stay focused! Maybe the flight attendants are able to smoke also to stay &quot;cheerful&quot; and not get crabby!??<BR><BR>About 3-4 years ago I was on an Iberian Airlines flight from NYC to Madrid. Apparently they had just changed their smoking policy a couple of weeks earlier so those passengers that were smokers and not aware of the policy change were in for a huge surprise! One passenger lit up within about 15 minutes of take off, the flight attendant must have immediately ran over to inform him/her of the change. A few minutes later a Flight Attendant got on the PA announcing the new &quot;no smoking&quot; policy. She then went on to say that due to the change and the fact that many smoking passengers were not aware of this at the time they made their reservations that those smokers seated in rows x-y could have one cigarette now. After that there would be NO MORE SMOKING until inside the Madrid airport. It was quite funny to watch all these people light up at once! I thought that was a good way for Iberian Airlines to handle the situation and keep everyone content.<BR><BR>I have to agree with you Traveler, I'd be quite upset if they diverted a plane to make an arrest and inconvenience a whole plane full of passengers. A warning/slap on the wrist seems more in order.<BR><BR>As far as I know Hal, none of the airlines allow smoking anymore, even within Europe so not to worry.

I was on an Air Canada on time from London to Vancouver, an announcement was made that someone had been smoking in the toilet, and if it continued the person would be asked to leave.

3 years ago I flew from Rome to Athens. About 15 mins after we were in the air they announced that it was ok to smoke in the &quot;smoking section&quot;. Almost the whole plane of Greeks and Italians ran to the back of the plane and lit up! I swear I thought I felt the plane tip nose up from the weight of all the re-distribution! haha! Then when the flight attendants started selling the cigarette, perfume and other duty free items they all went crazy for the great prices (?) on the cartons.<BR><BR>Oh memories........ haha!<BR><BR>:)<BR><BR>Wendy

<BR>I seem to remember that there was a fire on an airplane from a cigarette once. Perhaps the prohibition of smoking is in regards to that also, not just worry about someone breathing it.<BR> As for landing the plane if someone lights up, I think we can thank the idiot that tried to blow up his shoes for that.

Referring to a couple of postings here....just out of curiosity, are the pilots in the cockpit allowed to smoke? I have to agree with the others, it would make sense. I for one don't want to be on the long transatlantic flight from LAX that would NOT allow the crew to smoke. Just curious if there are any airline employees reading...

In January of 2001, I was on Alitalia from Milan to JFK and an Italian woman was caught smoking in the lav. The stewardess screamed at her (in Italian)and sprayed air freshener throughout the cabin. I did not see anyone apprehend this woman when she exited the plane. I also saw a man exit a lav on Air India in May of 2001 (Bombay to London to JFK) and from all the smoke, he clearly had a cigarette. No one seemed to notice even though the smell was obvious throughout the cabin. I don't know how you could possibly smoke now, even if you took the chance, because lighters and matches are confiscated when your luggage is checked. (I had a book of matches taken from my carry-on by United handlers in Tokyo.)

The ONLY planes where smoking is allowed are some domestic flights in Russia, and some flights to/from Japan. Have been for years.<BR><BR>I don´t know about South American and African companies.