Ashtrays in planes
January 9, 2008 6:20 PM Subscribe
Why are there still ashtrays in airplanes?
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.
posted by harrumph at 6:25 PM on January 9, 2008
posted by harrumph at 6:25 PM on January 9, 2008
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.
posted by SeanMac at 6:28 PM on January 9, 2008
posted by SeanMac at 6:28 PM on January 9, 2008
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.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 6:29 PM on January 9, 2008
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.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 6:29 PM on January 9, 2008
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.
posted by special-k at 6:29 PM on January 9, 2008
posted by special-k at 6:29 PM on January 9, 2008
SeanMac has it. I fly thirty or forty round trips a year. Some planes have them, some planes don't.
posted by Pants! at 6:32 PM on January 9, 2008
posted by Pants! at 6:32 PM on January 9, 2008
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.
posted by chips ahoy at 6:51 PM on January 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by chips ahoy at 6:51 PM on January 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
I was wondering why still had razor blades disposal slots on airplanes so I Googled and found this answer to your question.
posted by Xurando at 7:11 PM on January 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by Xurando at 7:11 PM on January 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
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.
posted by nicknd23 at 7:18 PM on January 9, 2008
posted by nicknd23 at 7:18 PM on January 9, 2008
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...
posted by dawdle at 7:56 PM on January 9, 2008
posted by dawdle at 7:56 PM on January 9, 2008
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.
posted by caddis at 7:59 PM on January 9, 2008
posted by caddis at 7:59 PM on January 9, 2008
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.
posted by DenOfSizer at 8:08 PM on January 9, 2008
posted by DenOfSizer at 8:08 PM on January 9, 2008
I was wondering why still had razor blades disposal slots on airplanes
... ? Has the FAA outlawed shaving as well?
posted by dobbs at 9:19 PM on January 9, 2008
... ? Has the FAA outlawed shaving as well?
posted by dobbs at 9:19 PM on January 9, 2008
well they're not real crazy about taking blades onto planes, you know.
posted by Doohickie at 9:44 PM on January 9, 2008
posted by Doohickie at 9:44 PM on January 9, 2008
I always thought it was so that when the revolution came they wouldn't need to reinstall them.
posted by Meatbomb at 10:50 PM on January 9, 2008
posted by Meatbomb at 10:50 PM on January 9, 2008
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.
posted by Pollomacho at 4:56 AM on January 10, 2008
posted by Pollomacho at 4:56 AM on January 10, 2008
well where else would kids stick their chewed up gum?
posted by misanthropicsarah at 6:49 AM on January 10, 2008
posted by misanthropicsarah at 6:49 AM on January 10, 2008
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.
posted by agregoli at 6:56 AM on January 10, 2008
posted by agregoli at 6:56 AM on January 10, 2008
...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.
posted by illflux at 11:42 AM on January 10, 2008
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.
posted by illflux at 11:42 AM on January 10, 2008
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.
posted by printdevil at 1:59 PM on January 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
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.
posted by printdevil at 1:59 PM on January 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
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.
posted by Rash at 2:50 PM on January 10, 2008
posted by Rash at 2:50 PM on January 10, 2008
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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?
posted by wilful at 6:22 PM on January 9, 2008