Smoking Ban in Major Airports

Places around the country have been trying to put an end to the habit of smoking. New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg took it as far as banning smoking from public parks and beaches, but the aviation industry has also stepped up their smoking bans. About 99% of airlines no longer allow smoking on planes, but they're taking it further than the skies. An overwhelming majority of major airports ban indoor smoking.

The American Nonsmoker's Rights Foundation found that indoor smoking is not permitted at 27 or the 35 busiest U.S. airports and more airports are joining in. Large airports like Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and the San Francisco International Airport are already smoke free.

The Denver International Airport is the only public building in Colorado where indoor smoking lounges are still legal, but that will soon change. Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock announced that three of the four smoking lounges at the airport will be shutting down by the end of the year and turned into other non-smoking concessions like a Jamba Juice, a barbecue restaurant, and the Mesa Verde Restaurant and Bar will be remodeled to remove the smoking area.

The other lounge inside Timberline Steaks & Grill cannot be shut down until its lease expires in 2018 but the Mayor has a goal of closing it sooner.

Some airports are still smoker friendly. They include Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Dulles International Airport, Memphis International Airport, Tampa International Airport, Salt Lake International Airport, and McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.

McCarran International Airport even has plans to open more indoor smoking areas when their new Terminal 3 opens in June.

McCarran spokesperson Chris Jones told USA Today, "There is a significant segment of our customer base that wishes to smoke, and past experience has demonstrated that these customers will often light up, even in areas where smoking is not authorized," He adds that 'unauthorized' smokers cause problems, such as "smoke in public restrooms or, in some cases, alarms being set off as individuals attempt to open doors that lead to secured outdoor areas." said Jones.

For those heading to one of the many non-smoking airports, it is best to light up and finish smoking before entering the airport, but those on layovers may have a tougher time.