Tempers of Passengers Ignited Over No-Smoking Regulations on Airlines

The smoking incident aboard the TWA flight from Boston should finally put to rest the absurd claims by the tobacco lobby that “all a nonsmoker needs to do is ask a smoker to put out his or her cigarette and they will do so.”

In reality, a smoker, like other addicts, cares not one bit about any other person in the world. A smoker will risk a fire aboard an airplane rather than give up the habit for a few hours. A smoker will scream “constitutional rights” and punch your face before stopping.

The Federal Department of Transportation--if it had one iota of intestinal fortitude--could end the controversy with one swipe of a pen by banning all smoking on all flights all the time. If a smoker can’t do without a puff for a maximum of six hours (the longest domestic flight), let him or her find some other method of travel.

BENNETT J. MINTZ

Encino