Are you a smoker and enjoy traveling by plane? When boarding a plane, several rules must be considered by passengers, one of which is related to smoking, because smoking on the plane can be fined.  

Not to be taken lightly, recently there was an incident of an airplane passenger who was arrested for smoking during a flight.

Taking information from Kompas.com, Monday (11/20/2023), as conveyed by Haza Ibnu Rasyad, Head of Corporate Secretary Division of PT Citilink Indonesia, "It is true that passengers are smoking on Citilink flight QG 949 Batam-Surabaya route, Saturday (11/18/2023)."  

smoking-on-plane-can-cause-fines
(Photo: finfolk.co)

When in front of officers, Haza said, the passenger admitted his mistake. He smoked in the lavatory or toilet when the plane was already flying.

The passenger has also been handed over to aviation security officers on the ground, for follow-up by applicable regulations.

Reasons Smoking on Planes is Dangerous

Quoted from the official Lion Air website, for example, all types of cigarettes, both burnt cigarettes and electronic cigarettes, can endanger flight safety. The perpetrators can be fined a maximum of IDR 2.5 billion or a maximum of five years imprisonment.

Some of the reasons behind the dangers of smoking during flights include safety factors, Indonesian and international regulatory rules, comfort, health, and air circulation.  

In terms of safety, smoking on board can pose a serious fire risk. Dry air conditions in the aircraft cabin can also make it more flammable.

Also, read: Ro-Ro Boat Ticket Information from Batam as of October 2023.

During emergencies, controlling and extinguishing fires on board can be so difficult that they can potentially endanger the safety of all passengers and cabin crew.

In terms of rules, the ban on smoking on planes is regulated by the Ministry of Transportation by the Aviation Law.

In addition, the ban on smoking on planes is also an international standard of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and has been adopted by many countries around the world.

Secondhand smoke can also disturb other passengers due to the unpleasant smell of cigarettes and can irritate the nose, eyes, and throat.  

Then, burning cigarettes contains many harmful chemicals that can be inhaled by passengers on board. Exposure to secondhand smoke can increase the risk of respiratory diseases, such as asthma or bronchitis.

Smoking Ban on Planes

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transportation has banned smoking on board. This is stated in Law Number 1 of 2009 concerning Aviation.

Quoted from the official website of AirNav Indonesia or the Public Company of the Indonesian Aviation Navigation Service Provider, there are sanctions for people who smoke on planes.

In the Aviation Law, everyone on board an aircraft is prohibited from performing the following actions during the flight, namely:

  • Acts that may endanger flight security and safety.
  • Violation of in-flight rules.
  • Retrieval or destruction of aircraft equipment that may endanger safety.
  • Immoral acts.
  • Actions that disturb the peace.
  • Operation of electronic equipment that interferes with flight navigation.

Smoking includes acts that endanger flight security and safety because conventional and electronic cigarettes have flammable materials.

The ban on smoking on planes is also regulated in Article 412 of the Aviation Law Number 1 of 2009.

Smoking Sanctions on Planes

Article 412 regulates the sanctions given if passengers do things that are prohibited while on board, namely:

  1. Any person who endangers the security and safety of the aircraft during the flight shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a maximum of two years or a maximum fine of IDR 500 million.
  2. Any person on board who violates flight codes shall be sentenced to imprisonment of one year or a maximum fine of IDR 100 million.
  3. Any person on board the aircraft during the flight who takes or damages aircraft equipment to endanger safety shall be punished with imprisonment for a maximum of two years or a maximum fine of IDR 200 million.
  4. Every person on board the aircraft during the flight that disturbs the peace shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a maximum of one year or a maximum fine of IDR 100 million.
  5. Any person on board the aircraft during the flight who operates electronic equipment that interferes with flight navigation shall be punished with imprisonment for a maximum of two years or a maximum fine of IDR 200 million.
  6. If the above actions result in damage or aircraft accidents and property losses, it will be punished with a maximum imprisonment of five years and a maximum fine of IDR 2.5 billion.  
  7. If the above acts result in permanent disability or death of the person, it shall be punished with imprisonment for not more than 15 years.

That's a bit of information about "smoking on planes can get fines and various reasons why you can't smoke in the nursing home. Hope the information is useful.