This is the main V-Flyer Forum for general discussion of everything related to flying with Virgin-branded travel companies.
#825966 by tontybear
04 Oct 2012, 19:17
Darren Wheeler wrote:For those who haven't seen it, this is the sign on the door to the roof garden. The area is also monitored by CCTV.

Roof Garden Door.JPG



And it is not just the smoker that could be fined.

VS could also be fined as could BAA (as the ultimate property owner) for allowing someone to break the law on their premises.
#826000 by pjh
04 Oct 2012, 22:22
Anyone desperate for a smoke, head for Cuba. Things may have changed, but a few years ago even the sniffer dogs at the airport were toking on Capstan full strength.
#826027 by slinky09
05 Oct 2012, 08:19
Blacky1 wrote:I just don't understand why airports can't have an outside smoking area airside.
Paphos does and I suspect many other foreign airports.thats why I wondered if it was a British ruling.


It's the law on smoking in public places and workplaces.

I agree - many airports around the world serve smokers, but that's the way we are!
#826033 by LovingGold
05 Oct 2012, 08:48
Typing this from the roof garden - Whilst have a crafty one and waving at the CCTV Camera v( v( v(

Not really. Just thought it would get some fingers on keyboards!!
Lounge is pretty empty this morning. WiFi working well.
#826038 by joeyc
05 Oct 2012, 09:27
LovingGold wrote:Typing this from the roof garden - Whilst have a crafty one and waving at the CCTV Camera v( v( v(

Not really. Just thought it would get some fingers on keyboards!!
Lounge is pretty empty this morning. WiFi working well.


Off again, were you not enjoying the JFK CH less than a week ago? Have a good flight 8D

Don't forget to flick the lit cigarette end over the balcony onto the fuel storage :P
#826133 by LovingGold
06 Oct 2012, 02:34
Joeyc - Yes I was. Now in Sunny San Fran. The joys of work!!
Still haven't got my carry on from the JFK clubhouse. That is another story......
#826150 by Hev60
06 Oct 2012, 11:33
I know there's a law on smoking in public places and workplaces but personally I feel it is wrong to prevent adults doing what they want - but obviously in a controlled environment.

I am not a smoker as I had to give up for health reasons but that was my choice. I also do not drink for the same reason. When I smoked it was at a time when there was a well air-conditioned smoking room where I worked. When I travelled to the airport there was an area for smokers to get their last fix before bordering a flight! I never smoked in my home and if outside, i was always considerate of others. I feel so sorry for smokers now. Other addicts get their fixes. People can pop pills or have their alcohol - quite right why shouldn't they but the poor smoker gets treated badly. I am aware that there are always to selfish smokers, like the ones standing outside the pub and deliberately puffing and blowing smoke towards the open door or windows but they are low life's who enjoy being annoying. But I'm thinking of the genuine person who needs that last smoke fix before boarding a plane :?

Yes I hated the smoke drifting around in public places and workplaces and I would never condon this law being reversed but I'm amazed that this hasnt been challenged under
human or civil rights. As much as a non smoker has the right not to be inflicted with cigarette smoke, surely a smoker has the right to smoke somewhere.

It is a very emotive subject but I feel the smoker has been unfairly penalised. So glad I do not participate. Drinking and drug taking is bad for health too but millions still do it v(
#826167 by tontybear
06 Oct 2012, 14:06
Hev60 wrote:
Yes I hated the smoke drifting around in public places and workplaces and I would never condon this law being reversed but I'm amazed that this hasnt been challenged under
human or civil rights. As much as a non smoker has the right not to be inflicted with cigarette smoke, surely a smoker has the right to smoke somewhere.


Yes people can smoke 'somewhere' - in places in the open or their own home (or other peoples home if they allow it).

A HR case would fail because (in my view and I'm no lawyer) there is not an absolute ban on people smoking just a restriction on where it can take place. It is also a general restriction affecting everyone not one applying to an individual or very small numbers of people or a specific group of people.

And there have been restrictions on smoking in all sorts of places for many years - in factories, shops, public transport without any court cases being brought.

And there are lots of restrictions on peoples activities that are not breaches of human rights (though some may wrongly think they are)

You mentioned alcohol - there is a by-law prohibitting drinking on the London Undergrouns. Is that a breach of human rights? Certain trains also have alcohol restrictions (mainly relating to football matches) - so restrictions rather than outright bans - you can still drink just not in a particular place for a particular time.

Even in the ever litigation happy US I don't know of any court cases relating to the various smoking bans in eg NYC.
#826173 by LovingGold
06 Oct 2012, 14:23
Hev60 wrote:I know there's a law on smoking in public places and workplaces but personally I feel it is wrong to prevent adults doing what they want - but obviously in a controlled environment.


Could not agree more on that. They pay far too much for them to cover other sins in my eyes.
I even think that if you can't smoke then don't sell them. That might make the Airports think a bit. Not sure how much they make from rent / commission they get from the Duty Free franchise but I bet it's a pretty penny. By selling them as they do are they not pushing certain types to sneak off and have a crafty one in areas that they are not meant to??
#826202 by PaulS
06 Oct 2012, 20:33
I too am a non smoker but I can't see why you can't smoke outside on the roof terrace. I know at Tampa there are outdoor airside smoking areas and I can't see any logical reason why people couldn't smoke outside (law permitting)
#826230 by Almeida
07 Oct 2012, 11:07
As someone who stopped smoking 16 months ago I understand why smokers are so desperate for a smoke before a long flight. The law is all wrong in this country and that smokers can have provisions made for them without affecting other smokers. It should be legal to have a smoking facility after security in Heathrow that will not affect non-smokers. There is such a room at Dulles.

Alternatively there could possibly be some outdoor facility after security. There is at East Midlands. I am an avid football fan and follow Nottingham Forest all around the country. Some grounds allow you pop outside for a smoke at half-time, but those that don't just results in smoking in the toilets on a massive scale. People will always try and get around the rules, unfortunately.
#826243 by tontybear
07 Oct 2012, 12:52
LovingGold wrote:
Could not agree more on that. They pay far too much for them to cover other sins in my eyes.
I even think that if you can't smoke then don't sell them. That might make the Airports think a bit. Not sure how much they make from rent / commission they get from the Duty Free franchise but I bet it's a pretty penny. By selling them as they do are they not pushing certain types to sneak off and have a crafty one in areas that they are not meant to??


Thats a bit of a falacious argument though.

Just because people pay tax on a specific item (that other people don't buy) dosen't give them any special rights to break the law.

Sainburys sells them yet there dosen't appear to be a load of smokers trying to have a crafty one in the washing powder aisle (or in the toilets)

Tes BAA make money from DF sales/rent from the shopping spaces but that helps keep the cost of the airport fees (that we as passngers pay) down.


As to other airpots having airside smoking areas then that is down to them. BAA (as owners of LHR) have obviously made a decision not to provide them - and that includes the VS roof terrace.
#826287 by Almeida
07 Oct 2012, 23:33
tontybear wrote:
LovingGold wrote:
Could not agree more on that. They pay far too much for them to cover other sins in my eyes.
I even think that if you can't smoke then don't sell them. That might make the Airports think a bit. Not sure how much they make from rent / commission they get from the Duty Free franchise but I bet it's a pretty penny. By selling them as they do are they not pushing certain types to sneak off and have a crafty one in areas that they are not meant to??


Thats a bit of a falacious argument though.

Just because people pay tax on a specific item (that other people don't buy) dosen't give them any special rights to break the law.

Sainburys sells them yet there dosen't appear to be a load of smokers trying to have a crafty one in the washing powder aisle (or in the toilets)

Tes BAA make money from DF sales/rent from the shopping spaces but that helps keep the cost of the airport fees (that we as passngers pay) down.


As to other airpots having airside smoking areas then that is down to them. BAA (as owners of LHR) have obviously made a decision not to provide them - and that includes the VS roof terrace.


People do not have a right to break the law but your Sainsbury's point is not really valid. You do not spend 14 hours in Sainsbury's doing your shopping!

It probably is not convenient for BAA to provide a smoking area airside. East Midlands obviously handles a small fraction of the passengers daily so the smoking area would not have to be nearly as big as the one at Heathrow.

Meh, I have put that evil habit behind me. I do not really care that much now.
#826290 by LovingGold
08 Oct 2012, 05:20
Agreed. The Sainsbury's tilt is totally irrelevant. I Also believe that they cannot display ciggies in the same way the CAA / Duty do in Duty Free shopping outlets.
The last time I passed a Sainbury's tobacco counter was all shut up with no view of the products, unlike the CAA / Duty Free which sell them in bulk enticing the "smoker" to purchase the product in question them banning them from smoking from anything from 2 to 14 or more hours depending on destination.
My view, which I think is only fair. Offer the purchasers somewhere to smoke the product you are offering or stop selling them!!! 8D 8D
#826301 by PilotWolf
08 Oct 2012, 06:55
I think you'll find Boots in LHR T3 sell condoms but other than the lounge that offers beds I doubt you would get away with trying to use them!

Likewise some of the adult items available in the last Boot's store I visited had items that have previously had aircraft evacuated as the batteries were left in.

W.
#826313 by duggy83
08 Oct 2012, 09:24
PilotWolf wrote:I think you'll find Boots in LHR T3 sell condoms but other than the lounge that offers beds I doubt you would get away with trying to use them!


There's places you probably could - just the cheeky ciggy after that you'd struggle with! :0
#871218 by Dave Adkins
24 Apr 2014, 09:57
Apologies for bumping this . But are ecigs allowed on the CH terrace? I know you can't smoke real cigs obviously. Failing that how easy ??? Is it to get back landside from the CH so the wife can have her nicotine fix before we fly.
#871228 by easygoingeezer
24 Apr 2014, 10:56
Leeds has an airside smoking prison, its £2 to get in. Manchester has a cage too.
Take a nicorette non electric inhalor, that will take the edge off and not cause harm to anyone.
#871239 by Smid
24 Apr 2014, 12:08
I was discussing this with a friend last night, who said they'd used a pub based little exit in Birmingham for a smoke past departures last week.

I stopped smoking ten years ago, but even back around 98 I remember standing outside one of the terminals chain smoking because the lack of smoking options past departures.

It just surprised me that Birmingham did, and I'd never seen any at LGW or LHR...
#871241 by slinky09
24 Apr 2014, 12:14
duggy83 wrote:
PilotWolf wrote:I think you'll find Boots in LHR T3 sell condoms but other than the lounge that offers beds I doubt you would get away with trying to use them!


There's places you probably could - just the cheeky ciggy after that you'd struggle with! :0


I'm always amazed that the loos along the way to the VS departure gates have condom machines - it's great optimism but I always ask, where?
#871242 by HWVlover
24 Apr 2014, 12:18
Ah Slinky, where there is a will there is a way!
):
#871281 by LovingGold
24 Apr 2014, 18:52
slinky09 wrote:I'm always amazed that the loos along the way to the VS departure gates have condom machines - it's great optimism but I always ask, where?


Perhaps they are looking for members to join the "mile high" club :0
#871285 by serenawell
24 Apr 2014, 19:34
There is a post security smoking area at Bournemouth airport. Also I flew from Heathrow (to KL with Qatar)last month and to my great delight there was a post security smoking area.
Virgin Atlantic

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 151 guests

Itinerary Calendar