China bans smoking by cabin crew in cockpits of domestic flights

Pilots and other cabin crew can no longer smoke in the cockpits of domestic flights in China. The Civil Aviation Administration of China issued a notice last week to enforce the ban on in-flight smoking with immediate effect, the China Daily reported Friday. First-time violators, including those who smoke electronic cigarettes, will be suspended for 12 months and repeat offenders will be barred for 36 months. Airlines must carry out routine inspections, the regulator said. China’s govt had outlawed in-flight smoking in October 2017, but individual airlines were given 2 more years before the cockpit ban was to take effect. The latest order, which scraps the extra time the carriers got, follows recent incidents that have triggered safety concerns. <br/>