People are only just realising why planes have ashtrays – despite smoking ban

09 May 2024 , 08:19

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People are only just realising why planes have ashtrays – despite smoking ban

If you've ever travelled by plane, you'll know it's illegal to smoke during the flight.

But you may have also noticed ashtrays still feature on aircrafts. Yes, confusing right? Well if you thought that, it turns out there's a simple explanation.

Phil Stringer, who posts online as @phil.stringer, seemed somewhat baffled after he spotted an ashtray located directly below a no-smoking sign on his recent flight. He took to social media with a video of the small metal flap in the wall of the plane toilet.

The video, which garnered more than 1,100 views, was shared with the caption: "No smoking on the plane... but we'll give you an ashtray just in case you do."

Passengers are confused by plane ashtrays - despite smoking ban (stock image) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

TikTok viewers took to the comments debating over why they still have them – with some speculating it was an indication of the aircraft's age. One user wrote: "That’s how old that plane is."

You’ve been shaving your legs wrong - my way's faster & gets them smoother

Another added: "It costs money to take them out and think about all the planes they have," to which someone else replied: "Kinda true." But the 'joke' in Phil's video actually hit the nail on the head.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, aeroplanes are required by law to have ashtrays on or near the loo door. This is because some sneaky passengers still try to smoke onboard.

It is illegal to smoke on planes - but people still try to (stock image) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The FAA's website said: "The installation of an ashtray on or near the lavatory door will ensure that uninformed persons who find themselves with lighted smoking materials on the airplane will have an obvious location to dispose of smoking materials before entering the lavatory."

It comes after a man was left "devastated" after being denied boarding at Cardiff Airport due to a dispute over his medicinal cannabis vape pen. Jason Bryant, 51, from Caerau, Maesteg, was heading to Belfast to visit a friend and mentioned he would only use the vape in "extreme circumstances" but claims he was asked to surrender it during the flight.

Kirsty Card