Anti-Smoking Announcements

April 9, 2009

in Flying Hell Commentary

Flight attendants on United routinely make snide remarks about smoking during the official announcement when landing at SFO. I’ve heard everything from “please refrain from smoking until you have reached a designated smoking area, or for the rest of your lives” to “please refrain from smoking until you have cleared the entire State of California.”

Apparently they are under the misconception that an official in-flight announcement is an opportunity to express their personal opinions. United seems to agree since my repeated complaints have not put an end to this inappropriate and unprofessional behavior. What’s next, “please refrain from having an abortion…or buying a handgun…or supporting gay marriage while in the State of California”? I used to have Premier status on United; now I have NO status since I refuse to fly with them anymore. btw: I don’t smoke.

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Elisa April 19, 2009 at 4:43 am

Wow, touchy much? Let's get real here, nobody much listens to the announcements, and any ad-libbing in general tends to get a few titters and makes people pay a little more attention. What is so offensive about telling people not to smoke? Seriously? You'd have to be living under a rock not to realise it's stupid for your health, and hey, if flight attendants care to remind people of that and it upsets you, maybe you should fly someone more expensive where the FA worry more about lint on their shirts than about their passengers.

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Onslow April 21, 2009 at 7:42 pm

I agree with Elisa; there is certainly no harm in making light of the fact that smoking is harmful to ones health. If you are that touchy, I don't know how you make it through the day; those remarks are mild compared with what I routinely hear in public.

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Festerdun April 24, 2009 at 3:58 am

People without a sense of humor are like wagons without springs: they feel every bump in the road. Lighten up a little and enjoy life instead of jumping into the deep end of the pool at every perceived insult.

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Fred May 7, 2009 at 6:10 pm

Quite the skillful construction of a slippery slope argument. You're a master.

Quite honestly, I believe smokers should be shunned at every opportunity. Smoking in public is second only to pooping one's pants for offensiveness. What's more, it is absolutely a conscious choice made by the smoker (unlike pants-pooping).

If we're going to tolerate comments like children under 10 shouldn't be allowed on an airplane, or that fatties should buy two seats, then why get so PC about poking fun at the one segment of society that willingly puts itself directly in the line of fire in so many ways?

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