Severe measures will be taken against those who do not respect the rules, as explained by the deputy director general of IATA. (Photo by Carlos Duarte Stock/Adobe Stock)
Traveling by plane involves following certain safety rules, both at the airport and on board the plane. Passengers who violate these rules can be denied boarding, expelled from the plane, or face heavy fines.
One of the strict rules on which the airlines are intransigent concerns vaping on board. Alas, it has become an increasingly common problem among passengers. Focus on this practice condemned by air carriers.
Vaping on planes, a growing problem
According to IATA, the International Air Transport Association, incidents involving unruly passengers have increased by 37%. Vaping ranks at the top of the issues facing flight attendants, as reported by The Sun on Tuesday, June 6.
This is confirmed by hostesses and stewards on a Reddit discussion thread, the famous popular forum. To the question of a user asking if it is possible to bring vapers, flight attendants react to the quarter turn:
” If you use one of those damn vapes on a plane, I swear the pilots will be more than happy to drop you off in the middle of nowhere. », “I remember a woman who was caught vaping in the toilet during boarding… We kicked her out and she said she didn’t know it was forbidden “.
Zero tolerance for vaping: violators risk flight bans
To overcome this worrying increase, airlines are adopting zero tolerance. Severe measures will be taken against those who do not respect the rules, as explained by Conrad Clifford, deputy director general of IATA.
” Although our professional crews are fully trained to handle unruly passenger situations, it is unacceptable for a persistent small minority of passengers to disobey the rules put in place for everyone’s safety. There is no excuse for not following the crew’s instructions says Clifford in a press release.
He adds that this is not intended to prevent travelers from having fun during their holidays, but to reinforce the respect due to the other passengers and the crew.
” In the interest of the majority, we make no apologies for seeking to quell bad behavior by a small number of travelers that can make a flight very uncomfortable for everyone else. “, he continues.
These words echo those of Ed Bastian, CEO of the Delta company, which proposes the flight ban for offenders. ” A no-fly list will help prevent future incidents and serve as a strong symbol of the consequences of not following crew member instructions in commercial aircraft. “, he wrote in an open letter published in 2022.
A prohibited practice even in airports
Vaping is also prohibited at airports. Although some airports offer outdoor smoking areas, many others strictly prohibit this practice after security checks.
Some countries are adopting even stricter rules. For example, in Turkey and Thailand, popular summer 2023 destinations, vaping is illegal.
ON THE SAME SUBJECT :
Sleeping on a plane: a steward’s warning
