Did people smoke on planes in the 80s?

Smoke Signals: The Lost Art of In-Flight Nicotine Indulgence

In the not-so-distant past, the air within aircraft cabins was thick with the pungent aroma of burning tobacco. Passengers from all walks of life, from business executives to vacationers, freely indulged in their nicotine habit during flights. It was a ritual that permeated the skies, shaping the ambiance of air travel for decades.

The 1980s marked the heyday of in-flight smoking. No designated smoking sections existed; cigarettes and cigars were consumed throughout the entirety of the cabin. A cocktail of nicotine, coffee, and perfume created a heady concoction that clung to every surface.

As the decade progressed, the tide began to turn against smoking on planes. Health concerns and growing public awareness of the dangers of secondhand smoke prompted a gradual shift in attitudes. In the late 1980s, several airlines implemented smoke-free flights on select routes.

International regulations followed suit. In 1990, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) adopted a resolution recommending a complete ban on smoking on all international flights. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented a similar ban for domestic flights in early 1991.

With the stroke of a pen, a chapter in aviation history closed. The practice of in-flight smoking, once ubiquitous, was relegated to the annals of memory. Today, the sterile, smoke-free environment of aircraft cabins stands in stark contrast to the hazy, nicotine-infused atmospheres of yesteryear.

The ban on in-flight smoking has been met with mixed reactions. While many passengers embrace the smoke-free environment, others lament the loss of a ritual that was once an integral part of air travel.

For those who long for the days of smoky flights, vintage smoking paraphernalia can be found in museums and online auction sites. Zippo lighters adorned with airline logos, elegant cigarette holders, and intricately designed ashtrays serve as tangible reminders of an era when the clouds of tobacco smoke mingled freely with the clouds above.