Airports In 1988: Smoking Allowed Or Banned?

In 1988, smoking was banned on domestic flights in the US lasting less than two hours. This was extended to all domestic flights in 1990, and to all international flights in 2000. However, the situation in airports was different. There was no federal law regulating smoking in airports, and policies varied across the country. While some airports, such as Denver, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Tucson, had designated smoking areas, others, like Atlanta, only offered separate seating in waiting areas. The trend, however, seemed to be towards increased restrictions on smoking in airport public areas.

In 1988, smoking was banned on US domestic flights under two hours

The push for smoke-free flights in the US started as early as the 1960s, with flight attendants like Patty Young advocating for smokefree air travel. In 1971, United Airlines created a nonsmoking section, the first airline to do so. However, it wasn't until the 1980s that lobbying efforts intensified, with the support of organisations like the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation (ANR). During this decade, the dangers of second-hand smoke became more widely recognised, and society began to move away from smoking as a societal norm.

In 1987, Congressional action led to a ban on inflight smoking, which was signed into law by President Reagan in 1988. This initial ban applied only to domestic flights under two hours, but it was a crucial step forward. The ban was later extended to domestic flights under six hours in 1990 and eventually to all domestic and international flights in 2000.

Despite these bans, the fight for smokefree skies continued, as enforcement was a challenge, and airports themselves were not subject to federal smoking regulations. Nonsmokers often found themselves trapped in crowded areas of airports, surrounded by smokers lighting up after their flights. Over time, airports began to implement their own smoking restrictions, and the trend moved towards increased restrictions on smoking in airport public areas.

The legacy of inflight smoking can still be seen today, as all aircraft are required to have ashtrays onboard. This is to ensure that if someone violates the no-smoking rule, there is a safe place to dispose of a lit cigarette. While smoking on flights to, from, or within the US has been banned for over two decades, the fight for smokefree environments in other areas, such as casinos and hospitality workplaces, continues.

There was no federal law regulating smoking in airports

In 1988, smoking was banned on domestic flights in the US that lasted less than two hours. This was extended to domestic flights of less than six hours in 1990 and to all domestic and international flights in 2000. However, despite the existence of federal laws regulating smoking on flights, there was no federal law in place in 1988 that regulated smoking in airports.

The absence of federal regulation meant that smoking policies in airports across the US varied significantly. Some airports, such as Denver, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Tucson, had strict restrictions on smoking, only permitting it in designated areas. In contrast, other airports, like Atlanta, offered limited divisions between smokers and non-smokers, providing separate seating in waiting areas at boarding gates.

The lack of federal regulation also meant that the enforcement of smoking policies was left to the discretion of airport officials, local governments, or the airlines using the airport. As a result, some airports took a passive approach to enforcement, choosing to ignore smokers who did not appear to be bothering anyone. In contrast, other airports, such as Minneapolis-St. Paul, treated smoking out of bounds as a misdemeanour, although they rarely assessed penalties.

The trend at the time seemed to be moving towards increased restrictions on smoking in airport public areas, with more comprehensive nonsmoking policies being adopted by some airports. However, the absence of federal regulation meant that the implementation of smoking policies was inconsistent and largely left to local authorities and airport management.

Some airports had designated smoking areas

In 1988, smoking was banned on US domestic flights of less than two hours. However, this ban was only partial, and smoking was still permitted on international flights and flights to and from Asia. While this marked a significant step towards restricting smoking in airports, the policy regarding smoking in airport buildings was more varied and inconsistent.

At the time, there was no federal law regulating smoking in airports, and policies differed depending on the airport and the airlines using it. Some airports, such as Denver, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Tucson, had designated smoking areas, usually in special rooms or mezzanines with plenty of seating. These airports generally prohibited smoking in specific areas, such as check-in lines, walkways, ticket lines, and baggage claim areas. On the other hand, airports like Atlanta offered separate seating for smokers and non-smokers in waiting areas at the boarding gates.

The trend towards increased restrictions on smoking in airport public areas was influenced by the new in-flight smoking regulations and the growing number of complaints from non-smokers. Airports with comprehensive non-smoking policies attempted to obtain cooperation by posting signs, making announcements, and providing ashtrays in designated smoking areas. However, enforcing these rules could be challenging, and some airports opted for passive enforcement, only taking action if a non-smoker requested it.

The trend was towards increased restrictions on smoking in airport public areas

In 1988, smoking was still prevalent on airplanes and in airports. However, the tide was turning against the practice, with growing public awareness of the health risks of second-hand smoke. This shift in public opinion was driving a trend towards increased restrictions on smoking in airport public areas.

At this time, there was no federal law regulating smoking in airports in the US. Instead, policies were left to local authorities or the airlines themselves. This resulted in a patchwork of different rules, with some airports sharply restricting smoking, and others taking a more relaxed approach. For example, Denver, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Tucson airports only allowed smoking in designated areas, whereas Atlanta, one of the nation's busiest airports, simply offered separate seating for smokers and non-smokers.

Despite the lack of consistent federal regulation, the overall trend was towards tighter restrictions on smoking in airports. This was driven by increasing public concern about the issue, as well as lobbying from anti-smoking groups and flight attendants' unions. Many non-smokers felt that they had little respite from cigarette smoke, even after disembarking from a smoke-filled flight.

The momentum towards stricter rules was also reflected in the gradual introduction of bans on smoking during flights. In April 1988, a federal law was introduced in the US banning smoking on domestic flights of less than two hours. This was just the first step, with further restrictions coming in the following years. By 1990, smoking was banned on all domestic flights, and in 2000, it was prohibited on all domestic and international flights.

While the trend was towards increased restrictions, the implementation of these rules was not always straightforward. Some smokers would light up immediately after exiting the plane, and airports with non-smoking policies found these could be tough to enforce. Nevertheless, the overall direction of travel was clear, and today, smoking is banned not just on flights but in almost all airports around the world.

Some airlines had banned smoking on all domestic flights

In 1988, airlines based in the United States banned smoking on domestic flights of less than two hours. This was the result of years of campaigning by consumer advocates and flight attendants' unions, and followed a series of piecemeal bans and unbans.

The first airline to offer a nonsmoking section was United Airlines, in 1971. In 1976, the US Civil Aeronautics Board banned cigar and pipe smoking on aircraft, but this was limited in 1978 due to pressure from tobacco interests. The chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board, Dan McKinnon, commented:

> Philosophically, I think nonsmokers have rights, but it comes into marked conflict with practicalities and the realities of life.

In 1984, the Civil Aeronautics Board banned and then unbanned smoking. Congressional action in 1987 finally led to a ban on inflight smoking.

Some airlines had already taken steps to restrict smoking before the 1988 ban. Northwest Airlines, for example, banned smoking on all of its domestic flights.

The 1988 ban was extended to domestic flights of less than six hours in February 1990, and to all domestic and international flights in 2000. However, the 1990 ban did not apply to the flight deck, and pilots were allowed to continue smoking due to concerns over potential flight safety issues caused by nicotine withdrawal.

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