I used to fly to Germany...a LOT. Once a year for 30 years or so....

[ChristaC]

In the beginning, it was ok. You could relieve your anxiety right there, on the plane, by smoking. Those thoughtful airline people actually supplied everyone with an ashtray built into the armrests. How great was that? Able to spend 9 hours in that familiar haze...everybody stunk because roughtly 75 % of the passengers smoked, and the ones that didn't, oh, well...tough luck for them, huh? Especially the kids....

 

Then it got a little harder...but still fine. The planes were divided into smoking and non smoking sections. So, as a smoker, you'd just pick the smoking section, and proceeded to, well...."relieve your anxiety".

 

Then, those bastards banned smoking on the entire plane! What were they thinking? How utterly cruel and thoughtless towards us smokers....they didn't care HOW much we suffered. Still...we were able to "smoke ahead" before the plane took off, by finding the smoking section in the airport and smoke a half a pack or so...you know, to "stock up". And as soon as the plane landed, we rushed off and ran for the nearest smoking section....our relatives could wait another few minutes to see us, right? What's the rush? Our nicotine fix was much more important!

 

Shortly thereafter, the final straw: NO SMOKING IN THE AIRPORT. Now, you had to go through security to check in your luggage, 2 hours ahead of your flight time, then run back through security while worrying about getting back in to the restricted passenger section, then you had to stand OUTSIDE in the freezing cold and smoke as many as you can before you had to go back in. Thank goodness the airport in Munich wasn't quite as bigoted against smokers, and had it's smoking sections. At least this way we were able to smoke a couple before we met my family.

 

Oh, yeah. That's the way it went.

 

So....last week I had occasion to fly down to Georgia. Smoking never even entered my mind, and I was able to relieve my stress by doing a crossword puzzle.

 

:) ;) :D :)

[action]

I never flew on a plane that allowed smoking - must have already been banned. But it does make you wonder, they build a brand new plane, and it STILL has ashtrays and no-smoking signs lol

[ChristaC]

I never flew on a plane that allowed smoking - must have already been banned. But it does make you wonder, they build a brand new plane, and it STILL has ashtrays and no-smoking signs lol

 

You probably don't remember the ashtrays in the armrests of all the movie theater seats, either.....and I'm pretty sure you never saw anyone smoking in the supermarket.....when I had my first baby there was an ashtray on the nightstand in my HOSPITAL ROOM....I kid you not.

 

Incredible, looking back....

[Soozie]

Good post I can relate so well to this ...

 

Perth airport has a smoking spot away from the main doors, outside of course ... I've seen people light up on their way to it because they can't manage the extra few seconds without a smoke ... everyone huddled together, smoking uniting us, and someone always says, 'we're a dying breed' it never occurred to me before how accurate that statment is !

[Soozie]

I can remember smoking the the Dr's waiting room !

[action]

You probably don't remember the ashtrays in the armrests of all the movie theater seats, either.....and I'm pretty sure you never saw anyone smoking in the supermarket.....when I had my first baby there was an ashtray on the nightstand in my HOSPITAL ROOM....I kid you not.

 

Incredible, looking back....

I did go to a supermarket in Portugal once and there were people smoking and they had ashtrays at the end of each isle - I couldn't believe it.

 

I do remember being able to smoke in restaurants - I mean that really is bad isn't it, while the person next to you was trying to eat and everyone is lighting up around the table :(

 

And my old office used to have a smoking room - it was disgusting!

 

Also went to Saudi Arabia fairly recently and there is still smoking inside the work offices!!

 

Good point about the 'dying breed' Soozie. Very Apt ;)

[Paul723]

I remember smoking cars on trains in Chicago, the non-smoking cars were nearly empty. The bar car was full every afternoon.

[Frezflops]

you forgot smoking in malls, smoking section in mcdonalds and a special one for employees, where my older sis went to high school they had smoking sections for the students believe that one or not, craziness

[Markus]

Christa,

 

That's a long haul to (Deutschland ohne rauchen)...to Germany w/o smoking. ;)

 

I remember smoking at my desk at work, always had one going...the non smokers ...

 

I just now thought of them. Man they must grossed out all the time, there were a lot of

smokers.

 

They moved it outside about 25 years ago...

[bakon]

I did the Germany flight smoking, few times. On military hops they might not have let us. Can't rembrr We were allowed to smoke in hschool outside

[Doreensfree]

Christa,

I remember all that too,

The first flight I did to turkey....the plane was in constant fog......

Those poor air hostesses.....they must have been gaggin.....

[Evelyn]

I remember as a child going in the smoking area's with my parents *coughs*

[Pippa]

I remember smoking at my desk - not cool ! But the tea lady and the biscuits she bought - I miss big time ..... Come back tea lady !!

[El Bandito]

Good lord! Memories!

 

I travel a lot and as the laws began changing I remember chasing the airlines that were slowest to change

 

Brussels to Prague..does Air India go that way? LOL!

 

So much easier now!

[sharonsiff]

Oh my goodness I remember this too!

 

Flying to Florida, 9 and a half hours not smoking...longest flight ever!

 

I am so looking forward to not standing outside the airport next year, rush smoking 3, packing them in....I mean why did we do that!

 

It will be a totally different experience for me, like you had Christina, looking forward to not dreading check in and worrying about the hours I would have had to have lasted.

 

I too remember smoking in the cinema, how did folk see the movie through the haze? Makes me shudder when I look back.

[Lynn]

We were not allowed to- but we smoked in the bathroom of the high school, between classes.  There was a teacher right outside the bathroom too and did not do anything.  We smoked outside the school in the "pit" before and after school. 

 

At this same time, I was working at a hospital and there was smoking rooms and non- smoking rooms.

[Leanna]

It's crazy to think smoking was so acceptable not too long ago, eh? I was born in 87, but at the time, I remember people smoking in restaurants still. Amazing. 

 

I'm glad they can't anymore. Sorry smokers, but I don't want your stank in my food.