3. Remember All That (Cough!) Second Hand Smoke?
Insensitive chain smokers may lament the change, but the rest of us have to acknowledge that today’s nonsmoking policies have made flying much more pleasant these days compared to the halcyon days of old. Being trapped in a chamber full of secondhand smoke for eight hours or more was horrendous. There was a time when pipes and cigars were commonly lit up in the sky, as well as cigarettes. Even if you opted for a non-smoking seat, everyone was inhaling the same fousty air. The only time smoking was prohibited back in the day was while the plane was still on the ground, as they didn’t want to risk igniting fumes. Beyond that, people could puff away at whim. It’s kind of shocking to remember that the smoking ban only started happening in 1988 for flights under two hours and didn’t become widespread on longer-hauls until 1998. Beyond the health hazards it was just, for lack of a better word, yucky.
