Why smoking on a plane is betting your life with death

In March, a passenger was kicked off a plane just minutes before takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia, for smoking on the runway.The plane was refueling at the time, a circumstance that further increased the seriousness of his crime.Under Indonesian law, this is considered an act of threatening flight safety, punishable by up to two years in prison, according toTravel Wire Asia.

How dangerous is smoking on a plane?

The ban on smoking on airplanes has been in effect since 1990, on most commercial flights. It was first enacted in the United States, and has gradually been followed by many other countries around the world.

The initial push for the law was driven by awareness campaigns about the secondhand smoke that flight attendants have to endure on flights, with the smoke lingering on their uniforms and hair.

A long-haul flight of about 10 hours, on the other hand, will burn about 36,000 gallons of fuel. This huge mass of fuel can burn up in a flash if it catches fire, or simply a cigarette butt.

Many people may argue: "If you're not allowed to smoke on planes, why are there ashtrays in the toilets?" The reason they exist on planes is to prevent passengers from deliberately smoking. They need a place to put the ashtray and also to dispose of the cigarette butt - safer than throwing the burnt cigarette in the trash and causing a fire on the plane.

What fines do Vietnamese passengers face?

Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Jetstar Pacific, and many other international airlines prohibit smoking. Flight attendants always read the announcement: “This is a non-smoking flight” before departure.

For Vietnamese airlines, the fine for smoking violations on planesis 3-5 million VND. If tourists smoke in unauthorized areas in the airport, the fine is 5-10 million VND.