Airline says it is committed to implementing a blanket ban on smoking across all flights by the end of next March (376 words)

Published: 11/16/2001

Aeroflot is to continue with the roll out of its no-smoking policy and is banning smoking on 93 of its domestic and international routes from 15th November 2001. Smoking will still be permitted on flights to the Far East and North America, but only until 31st March 2002, when Aeroflot intends to implement a complete ban on all flights. According to Aeroflot, the decision reflects passenger demand for its non- smoking flights and general global trends. Recent research undertaken by the company showed that passengers preferred smoke free flights with, 66% of all passengers strongly in favour of a complete ban. In May 1998, Aeroflot banned smoking on 13 short haul flights and, in September 1999 added a further 30 flights. In July 2001, the prohibition was extending to all flights lasting under four hours. Aeroflot claims that it has not forgotten its nicotine addicted travellers and says that it plans to offer cigarette substitutes, such as nicotine chewing gum to offset any cravings. But it also stressed that it was considering fining those who flouted the ban by smoking and making them subject to legal redress under the laws governing “hooliganism”. However, the Rb 10-50 (less than $2) for “minor hooliganism" and one-two months' social service for “significant hooliganism” may not be enough to deter the most committed smokers. The ban comes after the airline strongly protested a US ban, which came into effect in July 2000, prohibiting smoking on incoming flights into the US. It managed to get an exception to the US Department of Transport edict by claiming that the DoT was in violation of international law and that the ruling infringed Russia's national sovereignty. Aeroflot no doubt remains sensitive to the fact that smoking in Russia remains a much more socially acceptable activity than in much of Western Europe and North America and any blanket ban on smoking could lead to valuable business travellers especially opting to fly with other carriers that still permit it. However, the research findings suggest that it stands to gain more than it might lose by going down this particular path.

Article ID: 2912