Why Aeroplanes Must Have Ashtrays - Despite Smoking Ban

(British Airways is one of the airlines which must adhere to the seemingly contradictory health and safety measure. Image: Rex)

Why do planes have ashtrays? It’s been a while since anyone was allowed to smoke on them.

The initial cigarette ban on planes was reinforced by the more recent outlawing of smoking in public and work spaces - meaning a double ban is in place.

Yet bizarrely, ashtrays are a legal requirement in plane toilets and are fitted to new aeroplanes in 2015.

Despite the no smoking rule, airlines are still putting ashtrays in because they don’t trust passengers not to light up in the loo.

This seemingly dichotomous measure provides an extinguishing place for those who nip in the toilet for a cheeky fag.

According to the European Aviation Safety Agency, there must be one ashtray on the inside of each toilet cubicle by law.

And America’s Code of Federal Regulation states: “Regardless of whether smoking is allowed in any other part of the airplane, lavatories must have self-contained removable ashtrays located conspicuously on or near the entry side of each lavatory door.”