On a Plane with Children... Puffing an E-Cigarette While Using a Cell Phone

Man Boldly Smoking E-Cigarette Onboard
Ignoring Surrounding Stares, Deeply Engrossed In Mobile Phone
81% Of Illegal In-Flight Acts Are 'In-Flight Smoking'

A witness account of a passenger boldly smoking an e-cigarette on board, where smoking is prohibited, has become a hot topic.

A man smoking on the airplane. [Photo by Social Networking Service (SNS) archive]

On the 29th, a video titled "What happened on the plane" was posted on social media. The uploader, Mr. A, said, "There really was such a person. At first, I doubted my own eyes," and shared the video he filmed himself.

In the video posted by Mr. A, a man seated in a business class seat is seen smoking inside the cabin. The man exhales cigarette smoke while looking at his phone, seemingly unconcerned about the surrounding attention. There were many children on board as well. Due to the confined space of the cabin, nearby passengers were involuntarily exposed to secondhand smoke.

Netizens who saw the video responded with comments such as, "E-cigarettes often don't smell, so people smoke indoors frequently. I wish they wouldn't," "Those inconsiderate smokers should reflect on their behavior," "How can they not endure that for the duration of the flight?" "That should be reported," and "They must not have learned public manners."

Meanwhile, according to data received by Democratic Party lawmaker Jang Cheol-min from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport last year, among 335 illegal acts detected by national airlines from January to August this year, 274 were smoking incidents. This accounts for 81% of the total, involving smoking inside the cabin.

Smoking on board is prohibited under the Aviation Security Act due to fire hazards and other reasons. Smoking inside an aircraft on the ground can result in a fine of up to 5 million KRW, and smoking during flight can lead to a fine of up to 10 million KRW.