‘No smoking’ sign on flights will stay on forever

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is finally updating a decades-old rule related to the ban on smoking aboard US flights. Starting Tuesday, commercial airplanes no longer require an off switch for the “No Smoking” signs.

Although smoking has been banned on flights for decades, outdated regulations forced airlines to maintain switches for these signs, causing operational issues.

For example, United Airlines briefly delayed flights earlier this year because some new Airbus planes had signs that couldn’t be turned off.

Smoking on planes was once common, especially in the 1960s, and even promoted by famous figures like Amelia Earhart.

The FAA said this rule had become “burdensome” for airlines. Despite the change, the signs will remain on due to the increasing use of e-cigarettes on planes.