Posted on 07/20/2025 5:22:39 AM PDT by xxqqzz
Passengers were stranded in a “war zone” at a Maine airport for over 17 hours after their flight was diverted due to a pair of butt-huffing bozos puffing cigarettes on board.
Passengers were stranded in Bangor, Maine, for over 17 hours after their TUI Airways flight from Cancun, Mexico, to London, UK, was diverted due to a couple smoking on board.
“It was like a war zone in a lounge — rows and rows of beds,” passenger Terry Lawrance said while painting the dismal scene in Bangor, Maine (pictured).
“Everybody was fed up,” UK native Terry Lawrance, 66, told Southwest News Service of the unplanned layover, which occurred July 8 on a TUI Airways flight from Cancun, Mexico, to London, UK.
The aircraft had been flying for about an hour when the pilot came on the intercom and announced that two passengers had been “smoking in the toilet” and that he’d have to make an unscheduled landing if they persisted, Lawrance recalled.
“About three hours later, around the border with Canada and he came on to let us know that the plane was being diverted to Bangor, Maine,” recounted Lawrance.
Tracking data on Flightradar24 depicts the plane turning back toward Maine, right after entering Canadian airspace.
The passengers continued smoking despite a warning from the pilot.
They landed around 9:30 p.m. that evening, after which the two smokers were escorted off the plane. “They were obviously drunk, and he basically assaulted his partner,” recalled Lawrance.
The pilot said they’d be on their way after some paperwork was done, not knowing that their short pitstop would turn into the layover from hell.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Just have them roll down the window! Geez!!
Smoking was restricted to a part of the plane (usually back), and the air circ system kept it so those in the non-smoking section really were not bothered by it.
********
Yeah, yeah, that’s what smokers always think. I, as a former smoker, can now tell you, as a non-smoker, the smoke smells awful in a restaurant, car, anywhere and definitely would be bothersome in a plane.
Smokers are oblivious, selfish and stupidly addicted. I sure was.
“.... and a four pack of cigarettes for an after meal smoke.”
Yep and now they give us phones wireless phones that we can hold next to our head for long periods of time if we want.
Airports have very few outdoor patios that allow smoking so chain smokers get drunk instead.
Langoliers?
It was easier to find hull leaks, though.
I assure you that if anyone anywhere on a plane lit up, it would offend my nose.
Chew some nicotine gum and leave my air alone.
Could they have confiscated the cigarettes after the first incident?
Not smoke. Simple.
One of my former co-workers couldn’t get on a plane without a couple of drinks in her.
The problem with smoking is it is not just an individual act on a plane. No air system could filter out the stink and smoke. I flew lots too when smoking was allowed. One cigarette was enough to fill the cabin. It stinks, it soaks in to clothing skin and hair, and is irritating to the eyes and lungs of people who don’t smoke. Smokers had the opinion it didn’t bother anyone but they can’t tell because they are use to it. I am glad those days are gone.
No reason to cause a delay even for a good cause; knocking them out so they appear to be sleeping should suffice.
And as you can see reading thru this thread, VERY defensive and in complete denial about the smell.
The flight was diverted because the two persons refused a direct order from the pilot. I’s just that this time the banned behavior happened to be smoking. Had they put out the cigarettes the plane would have continued its flight.
I am very glad smoking was banned on planes. Some of us like breathing air that does not stink of cigarettes of any kind.
Don’t know for sure if we have all of the details. I’d think some law enforcement officers could meet them when they landed.
Valid point on air quality on planes—one of one hundred reasons I hate flying and have not gone near an airport since I retired.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.