Posted on 07/06/2006 9:54:48 AM PDT by fight_truth_decay
CHICAGO (MarketWatch) - The Florida Supreme Court has thrown out a $145 billion punitive damage award against cigarette makers - and decertified the case as a class action -- in a huge victory for the tobacco industry. "We unanimously conclude that the punitive damages award is excessive as a matter of law," the court said in a ruling handed down in the Engle case on Thursday. The news sent shares of No. 1 tobacco company Altria , +6.6%) up 5.5% to $77.44 while Reynolds American (RAI : reynolds american 119.21, +4.85, +4.2%) gained 4.8% to $119.79. )
U.S. stocks boosted by tobacco ruling, rate hopes 11:54AM 7/6/2006
Even as U.S. towns such as Calabasas, Calif. ban smoking entirely, Schoppmann is all fired up about a business opportunity born from the anti-smoking trend -- a luxury airline that allows passengers to light up. He plans to launch Smintair (that stands for Smoker's International Airways) in March as the first smoking-permitted carrier, with flights from Dusseldorf to Tokyo's Narita International on two Boeing 747 aircraft.
Schoppmann says he's seeking a return to simpler times, when air travel seemed exotic and cigarettes were not verboten.
"We want to restore the luxury travel experience for businesspeople," said Schoppmann, a former stockbroker based in Dusseldorf. "These people are used to making the rules, and if they want to smoke, they should be able to do so."
The plane will have 30 first-class seats and 108 business-class seats instead of the customary 416 seats. The upper level will be used as a lounge. There will be no economy-class tickets.
*SNIP*
Smintair needs to raise at least 40 million euros for an operating license from the German federal aviation authority.
Still, Schoppmann is moving ahead with staffing plans for the cabin, with this disclaimer on the Web site: militant anti-smokers need not apply
FYI your *puff* group...
This has nothing to do with the article?
You're right. I do support smoking on airplanes though as long as the smoker simply steps outside.
I remember having to sit near the rear years ago. This smoker, in between cigarettes, kept getting up and standing near the front front. The stewardess asked him if there was a problem. He told her he couldn't stand the smoke!
Surely with four engines the 747 has enough air-moving capacity to provide enough heated fresh air to make it nearly impossible to notice that anyone's smoking on board, no?
We are a forgiving group for the most part on the rigidity of comments after a body of work posted. This is an extra sidebar more intended for my FReeper friends who are in the smoking/activist section. They enjoy it when the smoke blows the other way.
Welcome aboard.
However, I doubt many of us will be flying "Smintair".
Isn't this the same lawsuit that one of the Rodham brothers had his name attached to so that he could collect millions of dollars for no actual work? Of course, half of which he has to share with the rest of the criminal element in the Rodham family, namely sister Hillary.
Only people "used to making the rules" deserve to be able to smoke now?
Yes, but it cost a bit more on fuel, and it's not PC, so no, we'd rather make everybody miserable and create an issue that doesn't need to be an issue. < / airline spokesman mode >
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