When smoking was allowed on airplanes was there a wall between smoking and non-smoking seats?

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Neil

No, there was no wall, and the smoke went everywhere. And before that smoking was permitted all over the plane, and most airlines (as I recall Alaska was a notable exception) gave mini packs of cigarettes on meal trays!

VoiceofCommonSense

Smoking on a plane. Ah, the good ol days.

down_under_lover_forever2006

Good question.
But as far as I know there wasn't any wall. In these days smoking had been very familiar and nobody really cared about that it was dangerous.
Later on the smokers took seat in the rear part I suppose. I once flew with an old plane which still had ashtrays in the arm rests.

Eclipsepearl

When I first starting flying twenty years ago, there was no wall or any divider between smoking and non-smoking. The section was adjusted, depending on how many people requested smoking seats so there wasn't any set row where it started. Sometimes there were three rows, four rows (Moscow!), 2 rows (San Francisco!), etc.

The one rule the FAA had was that people had to be *seated* to smoke. We had a terrible time with couples or families where one adult smoked and didn't want to subject the whole family just so they could have their one cigarette after the meal. We used to try to reserve a "rotating" smoking seat on the aisle. This, of course, drew complaints from the people seated around it who objected to those hovering over them and having someone smoking there *all the time*. (Yes, smokers complaining of smoking).

How many times people wanted to be reseated because they were *too close* to the smoking section. Rarely could I accomodate them (maybe if they were willing to swap an aisle for a middle seat but usually they weren't).

Then they brought in this "helpful" rule that *everyone* who requested non-smoking seats had to be accomodated. So this meant that if ONE person who asked for non was stuck in smoking, the entire aisle was made non-smoking. So people who checked in, thinking they had smoking, sometimes didn't by the time they got on board. You can imagine the scenes that ensued...

I was actually a little nervous when non-smoking flights were introduced. I was afraid we'd have smoke alarms going off in the toilets all the time. Sure, some managed to still smoke in the bathrooms (it was obvious) but otherwise, it went smoother than I expected.

My smoking coworkers were actually happy (well, most) because they said if they didn't see or smell it, they would be less likely to want it. Many quit out of convenience and since they weren't around it anymore.

It was easier to fit seat requests since a major factor no longer had to be considered. If a family were split, someone wanted window, etc. I could manage this easier.

I have thick, curly hair and it used to smell to high heaven after work, not to mention my uniform. My pillow would smell of it if I was too tired to wash it before sleeping.

It really improved my work conditions and overall, made my job easier! This is not even considering the health issue...

nanny411

heck no, there wasn't a wall!!! The ashtrays were right there in each armrest, and believe me, A LOT of people smoked. Those were the days when no one thought about anyone elses rights to clean air. It was truly awful! During the same time, smoking was also allowed everywhere else- and I DO mean everywhere! Grocery stores had standing ashtrays at the end of every aisle, smoking in the mall was fine, anywhere in a restaurant. "Those were the days"? NOT

Jezzito

There was no wall and they didn't care less that the smoke drifted into the rest of the airplane!

ouragon

No, it was disgusting. These smokers who think that the ventilation was so good it counteracted the smoke are delusional. The whole plane smelled terrible and when you had to go to the back (where the smokers were seated) it was especially gross. Your clothes carried the foul smell like you'd been to a bar.

GrapeApe33

No there was not a wall. The ash tray was in the arm rest. There was no way to not expose yourself to the smoke since all the air in an airplane is recirculated! Imagine being locked in a shipping container and everyone with you is smoking.

Pagan Dan

There was no wall. If you sat in the front row of the non-smoking section, the people in the row in front of you would smoke to their hearts' content, and there was nothing you could do about it except ask to be moved.

Ralfcoder

There was no wall, and they couldn't keep the smoke out. If one person was smoking, everyone in the plane could smell the stink of it.

Mickypoo

No walls. There was, however, an extremely good air extraction system in play. Since the demise of smoking on aircraft there has been a removal of the air scrubbing system. This has resulted in health problems on aircraft due to bad air circulation.

It's one of those times when smoking is GOOD for your health.

chad f

there was no wall
and they didnt keep it from drifting
people didnt know the health effects back then
also i use to smoke while grocery shopping, and when i was done with the cig, i dropped it and put it out on the floor and just left it
i know that sounds gross but thats the way it was
we are all better off in todays world believe me

Ann H

There was no wall, the smoke just used to linger and hover in the air, like it used to in the days when the trains had carriages where one half was smoking, and the other not. Stale cigarette smoke, yuk!

haggerpotter

NO! i remember flying overseas and everyone would stand in the back of the plane and smoke. we always tried out best to get a really close seat. it hink they only thing separating was a curtain that was always pulled back anwyay.

Floyd

No, but it was never an issue because the cabins were well ventilated. Ahh, those were the days. Kicking back on the plane with a gin and tonic and a smoke. I despise flying now.

grumpy geezer

In the early days, you could smoke anywhere in the airplane. When they started smoking /non-smoking areas of the airplane, the smokers were left with the last two or three rows. There was no wall between those sections. The smokers were closer to the outflow valve. The smoke would flow aft and out and not forward through the cabin. That was the theory at least.

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