We remind you that this is a non-smoking flight…

For years and years most flights have been non-smoking flights. Haven’t we all heard the following inflight announcement, “We remind you that this is a non-smoking flight. Smoking is prohibited in the entire aircraft, including the lavatories"! To me this announcement is crystal clear, capeesh, I get it.

No smoking means no smoking. Since this is clear for most passengers I would assume it would be clear for Boeing and Airbus as well. But no! They do insist on adding ashtrays to the lavatory doors!?

Dear engineers at Airbus and Boeing, which part of non-smoking didn’t you understand? If a flight is meant to be non-smoking you don’t need to put in ash trays. For a smoker, going to the lavatory, could be equalized to sending someone to “Temptation Island”. Aren’t the poor bastards, that fancy a smoke during the flight, more likely to be tempted to smoke when they see an ashtray? To me, It’s like showing a shot to a junkie.

So please Mr Boeing, next time you redesign the lavatory doors, skip the ashtrays and add nicotine gum dispensers instead.

As a courtesy to the next passenger...

When going for an errand to the lavatory in a plane you may encounter the following little sign saying "as a courtesy to the next passenger may we suggest that you use your towel to wipe off water basin". Indeed it is an admirable thought but somehow I think the sign is needed for other purposes.

So please Mr Boeing, next time you redesign the signage in the lavatories skip the sign above the basin. Instead add one next to the flush button saying "As a courtesy to the next passenger may we suggest that you flush the toilet". That would really make a difference for the next passenger.

Best regards

The next passenger