The days of airplane cabins hazy with cigarette smoke are long gone, but a reminder of that era is still visible inside commercial jets.
Smoking has been banned on commercial flights in the United States for decades, but the Federal Aviation Administration is only just updating an outdated rule to reflect that reality. Starting on Tuesday, the illuminated overhead “No Smoking” sign no longer requires an off switch.
That obsolete requirement had become “time-consuming and burdensome” for airlines and airplane manufacturers to comply with, the F.A.A. said in a rule enacting the change. In February, for example, United Airlines was briefly unable to use a handful of new Airbus planes because the “No Smoking” signs on board couldn’t be shut off, causing the airline to delay a few flights. The issue was resolved after the F.A.A. granted United an exemption.
Dozens of such exemptions have allowed that requirement to live on while the agency focused on more pressing matters. But the long life of the mandate also reflects how entangled smoking once was with commercial flights, which began in the 1910s.
“The rise of aviation literally parallels the rise of the cigarette,” said Alan Blum, the director of the University of Alabama’s Center for the Study of Tobacco and Society.
Pipes, cigars and chewing tobacco were once more popular than cigarettes, but that began to change in the early 20th century, according to Dr. Blum. During World War I, cigarettes were added to rations for American soldiers fighting abroad.
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Air Canada has revealed its summer 2025 flight schedule, which includes several new, nonstop flights from the United States to Canada. The new routes include daily service launching on May 22 between Jacksonville, FL and Toronto, Canada. The airline will also operate daily, seasonal service between Montreal, Quebec, and Cincinnati, OH, as well as a new partial week, seasonal service between Nashville, TN and Vancouver, Canada. The seasonal services will run between May and October 2025. “Our expanded transborder service will build upon our leading transborder network in conjunction with increased frequencies to seven key U.S.
Even if you're not a frequent road warrior, the Marriott Bonvoy credit cards can be a great value proposition thanks to the annual free night certificate they offer. Multiple TPG staffers even have three Marriott cards for this exact reason.
Bask Bank and American Airlines have a partnership that lets AAdvantage members earn interest in the form of miles, meaning members will earn travel rewards instead of interest on their money. This can be advantageous if you value AAdvantage miles highly — especially given the relatively low rates of return on many savings accounts.
In 2018, I spent Thanksgiving in Paris. It had been a particularly banner year for me: I’d just started a cool new job and sold my first book, a memoir, to a big publisher. Emboldened by my blessings, I rode my high all the way to the French capital that autumn with two friends in tow, who had yet to see Paris.
The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) final rule on automatic airline refunds went into effect on Monday, which is a big win for travelers but a change that could produce quite a bit of confusion.
My best friend moved to California nine years ago, and I've never visited her. A number of factors have kept me from making the trip from Boston, but my fear of flying has always been No. 1.
If you hold elite status with Delta Air Lines, United Airlines or Southwest Airlines, American Airlines is offering to match your status for at least four months so you can earn status in a different loyalty program without having to start from scratch.