Comments on: Ashtrays in planes

Question: Ashtrays in planes

citybuddha — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:20:09 -0800

Why are there still ashtrays in airplanes?

By: wilful

wilful — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:22:42 -0800

There aren't.

Having flown a dozen jets in the past twelve months, I can tell you that I haven't seen a single one.

Maybe you're flying an airplane that hasn't been refurbished in the past 15 years or so?

By: harrumph

harrumph — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:25:54 -0800

I was thinking the same thing two weeks ago when I was flying and I noticed that every lavatory had an ashtray on its door somehow. I don't have an explanation, but I can second the strange observation of airplane ashtrays.

By: SeanMac

SeanMac — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:28:34 -0800

Why have the expenditure of plugging or otherwise removing them? It's probably a case of 'If it aint' broke, don't fix it' syndrome.

By: Cool Papa Bell

Cool Papa Bell — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:29:10 -0800

Maybe you're flying an airplane that hasn't been refurbished in the past 15 years or so?

Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner.

Also -- maybe this is a plane that has been recently purchased/leased from an overseas carrier that doesn't cling to the USA's silly rules.

By: special-k

special-k — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:29:13 -0800

The explanation is farily simple. Most of the planes still in use today were built a long time ago. Airlines are already strapped for cash and for them to spend a bunch of money removing ashtrays would be an unnecessary expense.

By: Pants!

Pants! — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:32:52 -0800

SeanMac has it. I fly thirty or forty round trips a year. Some planes have them, some planes don't.

By: chips ahoy

chips ahoy — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:51:30 -0800

The FAA and other national regulatory agencies do not have oversight for all corners of the globe. Smoking rules vary from country to country, and likewise it's extremely common for aircraft to be sold to foreign operators and third-world countries. A lot of former American Airlines 727s, for example, are serving as workhorses in places like Bolivia, India, and Uzbekistan.

By: Xurando

Xurando — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:11:25 -0800

I was wondering why still had razor blades disposal slots on airplanes so I Googled and found this answer to your question.

By: nicknd23

nicknd23 — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:18:39 -0800

I've started to notice on newer planes the no smoking light has been replaced by a light indicating when not to use electronics. I thought it was remarkable that I was on a plane that did NOT have a no smoking overhead light.

By: dawdle

dawdle — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:56:15 -0800

in canada, even though smoking was banned on aircraft in the early 90's, a acommercial aircraft cannot be dispatched if it is missing an ashtray. it is considered to be a no-go item...

By: caddis

caddis — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:59:12 -0800

I fly a lot, too much. You almost never see these on domestic US flights anymore, but they are still prevalent on older planes, especially trans-oceanic 747s, which basically are really old.

By: DenOfSizer

DenOfSizer — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:08:38 -0800

Man, I remember my mother smoking pack after pack on cross-country trips back in the seventies. We flew on that plane that had the big old double-decker bar thingy, and I always got off the plane smelling like a washed up ole wino, even though I was about seven. Good times.

By: dobbs

dobbs — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:19:52 -0800

I was wondering why still had razor blades disposal slots on airplanes

... ? Has the FAA outlawed shaving as well?

By: Doohickie

Doohickie — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:44:17 -0800

well they're not real crazy about taking blades onto planes, you know.

By: Meatbomb

Meatbomb — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 22:50:22 -0800

I always thought it was so that when the revolution came they wouldn't need to reinstall them.

By: Pollomacho

Pollomacho — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 04:56:21 -0800

I fly a lot too, and I fly on third-world airlines. I have not been on a flight that permitted smoking in many, many years. Airports, yes. Tarmacs, yes. Fuel storage areas of airports, yes even there, but on flights, no.

By: misanthropicsarah

misanthropicsarah — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 06:49:29 -0800

well where else would kids stick their chewed up gum?

By: agregoli

agregoli — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 06:56:18 -0800

Yes. The plane you flew in was THAT OLD. It's no mistake. It's really disturbing to realize that you're in a plane that was built in the 70's.

By: illflux

illflux — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:42:21 -0800

...It's really disturbing to realize that you're in a plane that was built in the 70's.

posted by agregoli at 8:56 AM on January 10

Considering the meticulous maintenance that airlines must perform on their fleets, it shouldn't really be that disturbing. All of the most important parts are on regular replacement cycles, meaning a lot of the plane (that you don't see) has been replaced many times since it rolled off the line. The door panel of a lavatory, or seat armrests aren't on a (mandated) replacement schedule, so like others said, they don't want to waste money on "cosmetic" stuff that doesn't need to be replaced.

If older planes were crashing all over the place regularly, then it would be disturbing.

By: printdevil

printdevil — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:59:40 -0800

Speaking from deep within the dungeons of a major commercial aircraft manufacturer, a few thoughts

1. Seats are rarely on the "Minimum Equipment List" (MEL) for airplanes. On some models, not even all engines are on the MEL. You will be much calmer on flights if you don't know what MELs are like. (speaking to dawilde's comment)

2. Seats aren't replaced that often, and they are quite expensive. So, when airlines are cash-strapped, they will definitely delay replacing seats (even when it might be long-term cost effective to replace them and loose the weight of the ashtray. 4oz x 150 seats = meaningful weight reduction.)

3. You have no idea of the regulatory requirements of making changes to aircraft. Everything on an airplane goes through FAA/JAA/EASA certification. Even a small change like taking out the ashtray will incur non-trivial certification expenses. (Three of us spent a day or so evaluating pens for marking parts...I could go on and on and on.) Keeping a "Domestic" (no ashtray) and "Foreign" seat in the catalog may be more than some suppliers are willing spend.

By: Rash

Rash — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:50:44 -0800

Wondered this myself, on the brand new Virgin America Airbus I lew last month -- still has the ashtray in the lavatory door, despite all the stern warnings about smoking in there.