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Smokers May Get Their Own Airline

September 5, 2006

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Smokers used to be segregated in the back of airliners. Now they aren't allowed to light up at all during flights. If a German entrepreneur has his way, smokers may soon have their own airline.

Alexander Schoppmann is betting that wealthy travelers who smoke will be willing to pay big bucks to not be treated as second class citizens. He plans to launch Smokers International Airways with first class and business class seating only, and no restrictions on smoking.

The new airline will inaugurate service between Dusseldorf and Tokyo, a long-haul flight that can send many chain smokers into withdrawal. Besides having the entire plane as a smoking section, passengers will be pampered with other luxuries to help justify the fare.

"Air travel used to be a luxury experience but today, prices are exploding and service is going down to zilch," Schoppmann told the International Herald Tribune.

Schoppmann is launching the airline not just for profit but for personal reasons. A 30-cigarette-a-day smoker, he has experienced airborne nicotine denial first-hand. He says many smokers no longer take long flights because of smoking restrictions.

"That has to be why they invented videoconferencing," he said.

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