Ryanair bans smoking passengers for life

Ryanair has reportedly banned eight passengers from flying with the carrier for life after they were discovered smoking on board a flight. All eight passengers, who were on separate flights during the last 12 months, have also been reported to the police and, according to the BBC News website, could face charges relating to “plane, crew and passenger safety”. Paul Fitzsimmons, head of communication for the airline, announced yesterday (national No-Smoking Day): “Smoking during a flight compromises the safety of everyone on board. “There remains a tiny minority of passengers who stupidly and recklessly persist in endangering the safety of others by smoking on board. Ryanair will immediately ban anyone found smoking on board any Ryanair flight and pass the offenders to police for prosecution.” The Independent newspaper quotes a British Airways spokesman as saying that anyone who smoked on its flights could also face prosecution, though it had not yet taken the step of banning anyone for life. Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad