Flight Attendant Explains Why Planes Still Have Ashtrays Despite Smoking Being Banned

If you've ever wondered why some aircrafts still have ashtrays despite smoking having been banned years ago, we have the answer to put your mind at rest. Watch below:

In many countries around the world, lighting up on a flight has been illegal for over 20 years.

However, eagle-eyed passengers will have noticed that even some new aircrafts still have ashtrays on board. But why?

Well, a Canadian flight attendant has shared a video to her TikTok account in which she explains why.

In the video, asking her followers why they thought airlines persisted with them, Kaylee, who works for Swoop, wrote: "Have you ever noticed that new planes have ashtrays? Do you know why?"

The short clip shows an ashtray below a sign which reads 'No Smoking' in English and French.

Hundreds piled into the comment to offer up some suggestions as to the reasoning behind the seemingly archaic installation.

Many thought that maybe an 'old' toilet door had been used in a new plane or that it was because different countries have different rules on smoking.

Neither of these are correct.

TikTok/@flyingkaylee

It's actually much simpler than that.

One user commented: "Bc if someone forgets. It's a safe place to put the cigarette."

Kaylee responded: "Or blatantly disregards warnings. But yes!"

Installing ashtrays on planes is actually a requirement by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Responding to a request to remove ashtrays from planes, the FAA said: "The requirement for the presence of an ashtray on or near the lavatory door provides a convenient disposal location for cigarettes (or other smoking material) and thereby ensures that there is a place to dispose of such material in the event that the 'no smoking' policy is not adhered to.

"Previous experience and reports have shown that there is a high probability that these persons may deposit the lighted smoking material in the lavatory paper or linen receptacle when no safe and convenient place to dispose of it exists; such actions can result in an in-flight fire aboard the airplane."

So there you have it, mystery solved.

PA

But this isn't the only secret of the sky that flight attendants have been sharing recently.

Earlier this year, a member of cabin crew offered some advice on what people travelling should steer clear of when they're onboard a plane.

Kat Kamalani posted a video explaining that she recommends people avoid consuming water because the tanks 'are never cleaned' and they are 'disgusting'. Nice.

She explained to her 450,000 followers: "So talk to a flight attendant, we rarely, rarely drink the coffee or tea, they come from the same water tank and so when you're drinking that coffee and tea it comes from that hot water and it's absolutely disgusting."

Pointing to the machines, she went on: "They are rarely cleaned unless they are broken. These guys [part of the machine] are taken out and cleaned in between flights but the whole machine is never cleaned."

Topics: flight, Plane, World News, Interesting, Canada, TikTok

Dominic Smithers

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

@SmithersDom