Smoking Inside An Aircraft Toilet Got This Kerala Man Arrested. Here's Why
Smoking Inside An Aircraft Toilet Got This Kerala Man Arrested. Here's Why Published By, Last Updated: August 04, 2026, 11:13 IST A passenger was arrested
Smoking Inside An Aircraft Toilet Got This Kerala Man Arrested. Here's Why Published By, Last Updated: August 04, 2026, 11:13 IST A passenger was arrested after smoking inside the washroom of a Saudi Arabia-Mumbai flight. Here's what happened and why smoking on aircraft is treated as a serious offence Rapid Read Smoking on commercial aircraft is prohibited worldwide because it poses significant safety, health and operational risks. (AI Generated) No Smoking On Flights: A 34-year-old passenger was arrested after allegedly smoking inside the washroom of a flight travelling from Dammam, Saudi Arabia, to Mumbai, despite repeated no-smoking warnings onboard. The accused, identified as Nurry Bahuleyan, a resident of Alappuzha in Kerala, was taken into custody by the Sahar police after the aircraft landed at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on July 30. Cabin Crew Detected Smoke Inside Aircraft Toilet According to a report in The Times of India, the incident occurred shortly after the flight departed from Dammam. Cabin crew noticed smoke coming from the aircraft’s washroom after Bahuleyan exited the toilet. When questioned by crew member Dipesh Bhagat, the passenger allegedly admitted to smoking inside the lavatory. The crew immediately informed the pilot, who instructed that the passenger be handed over to airline security personnel upon landing in Mumbai. Passenger Handed Over To Police At Mumbai Airport An Air India security team received the passenger after Flight AI-4250 arrived in Mumbai. In his complaint, Air India security assistant Vivek Pillai said the pilot had alerted the airline’s Airport Terminal Control (ATC) security team after being informed that a passenger occupying seat 21F had been found smoking in the aircraft washroom.
The passenger was subsequently handed over to the Sahar police for legal action. Police booked Bahuleyan under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with acts endangering the life or personal safety of others, along with provisions of the Aircraft Act, 1937. A police officer said that despite ‘No Smoking’ signs being prominently displayed throughout the aircraft and repeated announcements before take-off in English and Hindi warning passengers against smoking, the accused allegedly violated the rules. Why Is Smoking Strictly Prohibited On Aircraft? Smoking on commercial aircraft is prohibited worldwide because it poses significant safety, health and operational risks. The primary reason for the ban is the risk of fire. Aircraft cabins contain electrical wiring, oxygen systems and other materials that could become hazardous if exposed to an open flame. Even a small cigarette ember can ignite waste, paper products or flammable materials inside aircraft lavatories or cabin areas. For this reason, aircraft lavatories are equipped with smoke detectors and many still have built-in ashtrays on the outside of toilet doors. These ashtrays are not intended to permit smoking but to ensure cigarettes can be safely extinguished if someone breaks the rules. When Was Smoking Banned On Flights? The ban was introduced gradually across the world. 1988: The United States prohibited smoking on domestic flights lasting two hours or less. The United States prohibited smoking on domestic flights lasting two hours or less. 1990: The ban was expanded to most domestic flights. The ban was expanded to most domestic flights. 2000: Smoking was prohibited on all scheduled flights to, from and within the United States.
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