The days when the airline would help you light up.
The Gadling is reporting that entrepreneur Alexander Schoppmann is hoping to start a smoking-only airline. Schoppmann is currently looking for capital to start Smintair (which stands for Smoker’s International Airways).
The new airline is not looking to cater to the average working Joe, but to people with some extra cash. The airline will only have First and Business class. The airline is planning to have two Boeing 747’s flying from Europe to Japan. The concept is to have no seats on the upper deck and for it to be a lounge. New ventilation systems would be installed on the aircraft allowing for better fresh air recirculation on the smoke-filled flights. Schoppmann is hoping to have the airline up and running by next summer.
Can this concept work? Maybe. There is a much larger smoking population in Germany and Japan than in the US. Also, with the economic crunch a lot of companies are cutting out their business jets and this might provide a cheaper alternative. It would be like an exclusive country club in the air and probably big business deals could take place in mid-flight. It will be interesting to see if Smintair will ever take off — other sites were reporting the first flight was supposed to be December 2007, so we will have to wait and see!
Image: theage.com.au
Sounds awesome!
How does a passenger get a lighter through security?
Hi I am a smoker but I get the feeling that smoking is really taboo these days and you can”t smoke any wares. So I figured north America was pushing out the idea of even picking up the habit. I feel strange walking around with a cigarette almost like you are being alienated . So would a customer feel strange about taking an airline that specializes in smoking but on the other hand look at different parts of the world I am sure banning smoking is the last thing on there mines.
Instead wouldn’t it be nice if successful entrepreneurs like Schoppman started flights that offer cheaper prices and quicker routes to stir the competition. I bet he will make more money doing that than just smoking-only flights i.e. if multiplying his assets is the end goal of course.
I’m not a big cigarette smoker, but this would be an experience that I would like to have since I like an occasional cigar. Then again, I can’t stand smelling like smoke.
this seems like a luxury service… I thought those weren’t doing so well right now?
I work at a major aerospace manufacturer in Seattle, WA, which has recently banned smoking on company property. I’ve seen the animosity it has caused with some die hard (ahem, no pun intended) smokers. I am sure that there is a formidable customer base for such a service. I’ll stay tuned…
This story is actually a couple years old… if you go to the original BBC article that Gadling linked to it’s from 2006. The guy still hasn’t managed to get off the ground, and probably won’t, because of new laws in Germany.
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