Don’t Smoke! Estonian Siblings Fined 20K THB Each For Smoking On AY89 HEL-BKK Flight

Not sure why this Estonian couple thought that it was a good idea to smoke several times (five to be precise) inside lavatory on a Finnair flight AY89 from Helsinki to Bangkok on Friday last week?

The flight attendants had warned the siblings not to smoke but they had continued the activity regardless.

Here’s what the Thai PBS is reporting (access the entire article here):

The incident took place on a Finair flight AY089 bound for Bangkok from Finland on Friday.

Flight attendants reportedly told police at Suvarnabhumi international airport that the two brother and sister, Alexandr Nikforovx and Mrs Svetlana Galkinax, defied their warnings not to smoke in the plane and allegedly smoked five times in the toilet.

The two were booked and escorted by police to the Suvarnabhumi police station which is situated in the airport.  They were eventually told that they broke the aviation law which bans in-flight smoking and face five-year jailterm and/or a fine of up to 20,000 baht.

Conclusion

You sometimes hear cockpit crews smoking on flights (they can pretty much do whatever they want) but not so much about passengers puffing away.

I believe that I was on some flights in early 1990’s were smoking was still allowed and definitely remember being on Aeroflot flight from Moscow to Toronto perhaps 7 – 10 years ago were electronics cigars were still allowed in business (crew were giving them to passengers).

These Estonians got off quite lightly in my opinion. 20,000 THB is just bit more than 500 EUR. Surprised that they didn’t send them back to Estonia on the next Finnair flight (that’s what I would have done).

If someone is so addicted to nicotine, they probably should carry some nicotine gum or those patches that are sold at pharmacies. Definitely cheaper than paying the fine or facing far more stronger penalties at other countries.