What REALLY happens when you smoke or vape on a plane—a secret exposé!
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Airports and aeroplanes have numerous rules in place, and one of them is an absolute prohibition on smoking or vaping.
However, do you know why this practice is considered unsafe? A flight attendant has shared some key reasons, and we're here to pass them on to you.
Natalie Magee has exposed the consequences of smoking or using e-cigarettes (also known as vape) in an aircraft toilet–which can result in the flight being diverted or making an unscheduled landing, thus causing delays for all passengers on board.
In Australia, smoking is strictly forbidden on all commercial flights operated by Australian airlines, and passengers who violate this rule may face severe penalties, including substantial fines or even being barred from future flights.
‘When you smoke or vape in the toilet, the smoke alarm quietly alerts the flight deck,’ Magee said.
‘The flight deck gets a notification that a smoke alarm has gone off and there’s smoke detected on the plane.
‘However, they don’t know if the smoke is coming from someone actually smoking in the toilet, giving us a false alarm or if there’s an [actual] fire detected somewhere in the aeroplane.’
Magee said it’s best to confess if caught smoking or vaping on board.
‘If you do get caught, you absolutely need to come clean because maybe you’ll get a fine or maybe you get berated on the ground–depending on how cooperative you are,’ she explained.
‘If you do not identify yourself, that aeroplane is going to be grounded for a minimum of two hours because they need to check all resources and do a complete overhaul of the systems, engines and everything like that.
‘Flight attendants don’t know where the smoke is coming from so that’s why we have to land and be out of service for two hours so the crew can check all the systems to see where that smoke being detected came from.’
When a passenger confesses to smoking, the plane wouldn't need to make an emergency landing since it confirms that the source of the smoke isn't from a fire within the aircraft.
‘The crew will know the trigger for the smoke alarm if a passenger comes clean so that’s a lot easier to deal with than just having to play, ‘Guess what made the smoke alarm go off’,’ she pointed out.
Magee recalled a recent incident where a passenger triggered an alarm by vaping in the toilet.
‘We were in the middle of service when we got an emergency call from the flight deck,’ she said.
‘So I run to the front of the plane, another flight attendant runs to the back, we pick up the phone and the captain is like, “Who is vaping in the toilet?”
‘I didn’t hear the smoke alarm go off, neither did the other flight attendant.
‘It was clearly someone we didn’t see go into the toilet.
‘We go to the back and we check it out, it definitely smells like someone has been vaping in there.
‘So we make an announcement... No one comes clean, obviously, no one wants to admit it.’
Luckily, the plane was near its destination, so maintenance on the ground was able to inspect the smoke detectors.
‘Had we landed in another city, that plane would have been grounded and out of service for two hours just because someone went to vape in the toilet,’ she said.
‘So the moral of the story is those smoke detectors do work.’
‘Do not smoke or vape in the toilet.
‘You are going to mess up a lot of people’s day because you were selfish for going into the toilet because you had to vape on the flight.
‘Please don’t be this person.’
In Australia, the penalty for smoking aboard an aircraft is $850.
Conversely, the expense to an airline for diverting a flight and conducting an unscheduled landing can vary from $20,000 to $30,000.
Members, we'd love to hear your thoughts on this story. Have you, or someone you know, ever smoked or vaped during a flight? Share your insights and experiences with us in the comments below!
However, do you know why this practice is considered unsafe? A flight attendant has shared some key reasons, and we're here to pass them on to you.
Natalie Magee has exposed the consequences of smoking or using e-cigarettes (also known as vape) in an aircraft toilet–which can result in the flight being diverted or making an unscheduled landing, thus causing delays for all passengers on board.
In Australia, smoking is strictly forbidden on all commercial flights operated by Australian airlines, and passengers who violate this rule may face severe penalties, including substantial fines or even being barred from future flights.
Flight attendant Natalie Magee has shared the consequences of smoking or vaping on a plane. Image source: Natalie Magee
‘When you smoke or vape in the toilet, the smoke alarm quietly alerts the flight deck,’ Magee said.
‘The flight deck gets a notification that a smoke alarm has gone off and there’s smoke detected on the plane.
‘However, they don’t know if the smoke is coming from someone actually smoking in the toilet, giving us a false alarm or if there’s an [actual] fire detected somewhere in the aeroplane.’
Magee said it’s best to confess if caught smoking or vaping on board.
‘If you do get caught, you absolutely need to come clean because maybe you’ll get a fine or maybe you get berated on the ground–depending on how cooperative you are,’ she explained.
‘If you do not identify yourself, that aeroplane is going to be grounded for a minimum of two hours because they need to check all resources and do a complete overhaul of the systems, engines and everything like that.
‘Flight attendants don’t know where the smoke is coming from so that’s why we have to land and be out of service for two hours so the crew can check all the systems to see where that smoke being detected came from.’
When a passenger confesses to smoking, the plane wouldn't need to make an emergency landing since it confirms that the source of the smoke isn't from a fire within the aircraft.
‘The crew will know the trigger for the smoke alarm if a passenger comes clean so that’s a lot easier to deal with than just having to play, ‘Guess what made the smoke alarm go off’,’ she pointed out.
Magee recalled a recent incident where a passenger triggered an alarm by vaping in the toilet.
‘We were in the middle of service when we got an emergency call from the flight deck,’ she said.
‘So I run to the front of the plane, another flight attendant runs to the back, we pick up the phone and the captain is like, “Who is vaping in the toilet?”
‘I didn’t hear the smoke alarm go off, neither did the other flight attendant.
‘It was clearly someone we didn’t see go into the toilet.
‘We go to the back and we check it out, it definitely smells like someone has been vaping in there.
‘So we make an announcement... No one comes clean, obviously, no one wants to admit it.’
Luckily, the plane was near its destination, so maintenance on the ground was able to inspect the smoke detectors.
‘Had we landed in another city, that plane would have been grounded and out of service for two hours just because someone went to vape in the toilet,’ she said.
‘So the moral of the story is those smoke detectors do work.’
Natalie Magee advised passengers caught smoking or vaping on board to come clean immediately. Image source: Natalie Magee
‘Do not smoke or vape in the toilet.
‘You are going to mess up a lot of people’s day because you were selfish for going into the toilet because you had to vape on the flight.
‘Please don’t be this person.’
In Australia, the penalty for smoking aboard an aircraft is $850.
Conversely, the expense to an airline for diverting a flight and conducting an unscheduled landing can vary from $20,000 to $30,000.
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