SCMP Internet Edition

Travel
Smokescreen?

BRIEFING by Mike Currie
Airlines are more interested in cutting costs than protecting people's health in banning smoking, Albert Chan, executive director of the Tobacco Institute of Hong Kong, tells us.
Mr Chan read last week's column in which I said it was nice to see that Japan Airlines was imposing a total ban on smoking, and he promptly sent a fax on Institute letterhead with these rather surprising remarks:
". . . the main reason why airlines ban smoking is cost, not health. By banning smoking, airlines save a lot in the cleaning of the aircraft [no dirty ashtray, no smelly curtains, no burnt seat, etc].
"More importantly and not many people realise this is the fact that by allowing smoking on flights, airlines have to turn on their ventilation system in full force. Fresh air has to be drawn in more frequently from outside [which is minus 40 degrees at least] and heated up before it reaches the passengers. That means the draining of fuel and of course money!
"Worse still, in some cases, because smoking is banned, the ventilation system is not functioning at full capacity, resulting in relatively poorer air quality in the aircraft."
Yes, it is really nice to know that smoking has been banned. Thanks, Mr Chan, for pointing out some of the horrors of smoking, such as smelly curtains, the need for extra cleaning, and the necessity for more fresh air. Perhaps it's not surprising that Mr Chan rang our office two days after sending the fax, to say his views were personal.
Authorities are investigating whether the autopilot on a Qantas flight to London jammed because passengers used electronic games, computers or mobile phones on board. The 400 passengers on the September 4 flight thought they were going to crash as the plane lurched heavily on its side and dropped sharply. Airline experts are looking into whether the problem was caused by passengers using electronic games, a laptop computer and a personal CD player during the descent - despite being told not to. Since January 1994, the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation has logged about 50 incident reports from airlines in Australia involving personal electronic devices.
New York's Grand Central railway station has been like a construction site for nearly two years, but the project to restore and modernise the 85-year-old terminal is just about finished.
To celebrate, the station will be re-dedicated this Thursday, and antique trains will be on display there from October 1 to 5.
Copy for Travel Briefing should be faxed to Mike Currie at 2980-3140

Published: Tuesday September 29 1998

Back To Top

Horoscope

Front Page | Hong Kong | China | Asia | World | Business
Markets | Focus | Sport | Property | Technology | Index
[SCMP Home] [Classified Post] [Spice] [1997]
[Internet Business Centre] [SCMP Global Investor] [Your Money]
Copyright ©1998 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd.
All Rights Reserved.


	Travel Smokescreen? BRIEFING by Mike Currie Airlines are more interested in cutting costs than protecting people's health in banning smoking, Albert Chan, executive director of the Tobacco Institute of Hong Kong, tells us. Mr Chan read last week's column in which I said it was nice to see that Japan Airlines was imposing a total ban on smoking, and he promptly sent a fax on Institute letterhead with these rather surprising remarks: ". . . the main reason why airlines ban smoking is cost, not health. By banning smoking, airlines save a lot in the cleaning of the aircraft [no dirty ashtray, no smelly curtains, no burnt seat, etc]. "More importantly and not many people realise this is the fact that by allowing smoking on flights, airlines have to turn on their ventilation system in full force. Fresh air has to be drawn in more frequently from outside [which is minus 40 degrees at least] and heated up before it reaches the passengers. That means the draining of fuel and of course money! "Worse still, in some cases, because smoking is banned, the ventilation system is not functioning at full capacity, resulting in relatively poorer air quality in the aircraft." Yes, it is really nice to know that smoking has been banned. Thanks, Mr Chan, for pointing out some of the horrors of smoking, such as smelly curtains, the need for extra cleaning, and the necessity for more fresh air. Perhaps it's not surprising that Mr Chan rang our office two days after sending the fax, to say his views were personal. Authorities are investigating whether the autopilot on a Qantas flight to London jammed because passengers used electronic games, computers or mobile phones on board. The 400 passengers on the September 4 flight thought they were going to crash as the plane lurched heavily on its side and dropped sharply. Airline experts are looking into whether the problem was caused by passengers using electronic games, a laptop computer and a personal CD player during the descent - despite being told not to. Since January 1994, the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation has logged about 50 incident reports from airlines in Australia involving personal electronic devices. New York's Grand Central railway station has been like a construction site for nearly two years, but the project to restore and modernise the 85-year-old terminal is just about finished. To celebrate, the station will be re-dedicated this Thursday, and antique trains will be on display there from October 1 to 5. Copy for Travel Briefing should be faxed to Mike Currie at 2980-3140 Published: Tuesday September 29 1998 Back To Top


	Front Page \| Hong Kong \| China \| Asia \| World \| Business Markets \| Focus \| Sport \| Property \| Technology \| Index [SCMP Home] [Classified Post] [Spice] [1997] [Internet Business Centre] [SCMP Global Investor] [Your Money] Copyright ©1998 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All Rights Reserved.