A passenger's confusion over the presence of an ashtray in an airplane lavatory, despite a universal smoking ban on flights, has been answered by an aerospace engineer. The ashtray is a mandatory safety feature required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ensure that if a passenger does light up, there is a safe place to dispose of ashes and cigarette butts.
FAA Requirement for Safety
Smoking has been banned on commercial flights for decades. In the UK, it was outlawed on domestic flights in 1990, and in 1997, the UK and European Union banned smoking on all flights within EU airspace. However, passengers still occasionally break the rules, prompting the need for ashtrays.
One Reddit user asked: "Why do even newly produced aeroplanes still have those ashtrays within them?" An aerospace engineer responded: "It's an FAA requirement so that when someone does light up, there's a safe way to dispose of the ashes. You'll still get in trouble, anyway."
Fireproof Trash Bins and Other Mitigations
The engineer added: "The trash bins are also fireproof, because while you're correct about the reason why we provision an ash tray, we have so little trust in passengers that we expect them to do what you suggested anyway." Other safety measures include fire extinguishers in the trash bins.
Despite these mitigations, the ashtray remains a critical component. One commenter noted: "This rule is actually one of my big pet peeves, as there are other mitigations in place... and the ashtrays on the newest products are so small you couldn't fit a cigarette in them anyway. People mistake them for coat hangers, break them, and ground the aircraft."
Missing Ashtray Can Ground a Plane
The ashtray is considered a no-go item if broken or missing. A Reddit user shared: "Had an aircraft grounded before because they couldn't find a spare." Another added: "I remember reading an article a few years ago that the toilet door was broken (and subsequently the ashtray was unavailable) and the flight was cancelled."
Thus, while smoking is strictly prohibited, the ashtray remains a crucial safety feature to prevent fires from illicit smoking. Passengers are still subject to fines and police action if caught smoking.
