I remember a time when anyone anywhere in a cabin could light up anytime. It wasn’t very pleasant.
Then they added the “No Smoking” section in the cabin. Somebody once remarked that was like the “No Chlorine” end of the pool.
I did a bit of flying during those times and I agree. I also flew a lot when they put the smokers in the back of the plane (Yeah, like that'll help in a sealed tin can). Anyway, I had several flights returning home from Germany on the Lufthansa planes and the Germans in the back smoked those terrible European cigarettes. The whole plane smelled like burning dung.
I remember those bad old days! Once on a flight, back in 1966, when the NO SMOKING light went out the smokers grabbed for their cigarettes and the cabin of the plane filled with smoke You could just barely see the front from the back seats. It took thirty minutes for the air to clear, and we all smelled of smoke when we got off the plane.
Once on another flight, the plane landed for “over the wing refueling” and some old gal lit up while gas was being pumped . The pilot had a fit and made her put it out.
Ever see a plane blow up? I have.
Nasty stuff.
“It wasn’t very pleasant.”
It was truly awful. For vacations, we’d take the 5-1/2-hour flight from Anchorage to Honolulu. A week before the trip I’d make an appointment with a doctor on the island for the day after arrival. I ALWAYS got some bronchial thing from the smoke.