4 ms·

I flew transatlantic in 2024 on a brand new A350 and it still had an ashtray in the bathroom door. I think it is going to be a while until they remove those.

HWR_14 3y ago
Isn't that because some customers want the ashtrays, and it's cheaper to just add them to everything.
- Liquix 3y ago
  It's hard to believe that "some" private customers have more sway over the plane manufacturing market than international airlines (the majority of which have banned smoking).
  - HWR_14 3y ago
    It's not a matter of sway. If 1 purchaser wants an ashtray, it's cheaper to add it to every plane than anything else. And, assuming that one purchaser cares enough to not buy your plane, it seems worth it to make a hundreds of millions of dollar sale. Of the airlines refused to buy planes with ashtrays, as opposed to not caring, that would be a different thing
    - kube-system 3y ago
      Airplanes are not made in anywhere near the kind of volumes where the economies of scale would preclude profitably changing one interior part. Airbus and Boeing both make significant customizations for each airline. Some have entirely custom seating configurations. An ash tray is nothing. The reason they're on the plane is safety requirements.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- kube-system 3y ago
  The signs and the ashtray are a belt and suspenders approach to mitigate a situation where a lit cigarettes starts a cabin fire. Humans don't follow signs with 100% reliability, so the ash tray is a backup. They're on the plane for safety reasons, and required by law, even where smoking is also prohibited by law.
siva7 3y ago
They never will. It's for safety reasons on those who won't comply so they don't burn down the plane accidentally.
- ensignavenger 3y ago
  How many noncompliance incidents are there per year for no smoking ( like the crew finds the ash/buts in the tray or other evidence)? Is it tracked? Never is a very, very long time. Smoking may not be a thing in a few more decades.

HWR_14 3y ago

Isn't that because some customers want the ashtrays, and it's cheaper to just add them to everything.

Liquix 3y ago
It's hard to believe that "some" private customers have more sway over the plane manufacturing market than international airlines (the majority of which have banned smoking).
- HWR_14 3y ago
  It's not a matter of sway. If 1 purchaser wants an ashtray, it's cheaper to add it to every plane than anything else. And, assuming that one purchaser cares enough to not buy your plane, it seems worth it to make a hundreds of millions of dollar sale. Of the airlines refused to buy planes with ashtrays, as opposed to not caring, that would be a different thing
  - kube-system 3y ago
    Airplanes are not made in anywhere near the kind of volumes where the economies of scale would preclude profitably changing one interior part. Airbus and Boeing both make significant customizations for each airline. Some have entirely custom seating configurations. An ash tray is nothing. The reason they're on the plane is safety requirements.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
kube-system 3y ago
The signs and the ashtray are a belt and suspenders approach to mitigate a situation where a lit cigarettes starts a cabin fire. Humans don't follow signs with 100% reliability, so the ash tray is a backup. They're on the plane for safety reasons, and required by law, even where smoking is also prohibited by law.

siva7 3y ago

They never will. It's for safety reasons on those who won't comply so they don't burn down the plane accidentally.

ensignavenger 3y ago
How many noncompliance incidents are there per year for no smoking ( like the crew finds the ash/buts in the tray or other evidence)? Is it tracked? Never is a very, very long time. Smoking may not be a thing in a few more decades.