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Airport lighter ban does not mean smoking ban

Cigarette smoking is permitted in some concourse locations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, but it is prohibited in the main terminal building. The recent announcement to ban the possession and sale of cigarette lighters April 14 within sterile areas of U.S. airports is not intended to ban cigarette smoking.

Aviation General Manager Ben DeCosta supports cigarette smoking only in designated areas at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.

“Nearly 70-percent of our travelers are connecting through the airport, so direct access to smoke outside is not always possible. By providing designated smoking areas we help prevent cigarette smoking in public areas and prevent unwanted second hand smoke from reaching non-smokers,” DeCosta said.

DeCosta and his staff has worked diligently to reduce second hand smoke issues and have invested thousands of dollars into upgrading ventilation systems in airport smoking lounges. Hartsfield-Jackson Airport officials plan to continue to offer travelers the option to smoke.

The Transportation Security Administration’s ban on the possession and sale of cigarette lighters beyond the security checkpoint includes all lighters including butane, electric or battery powered, novelty lighters. Hartsfield-Jackson advises all travelers to leave cherished lighters at home.

In 2004, approximately 204,000 packs of cigarettes were sold at airport retail outlets totaling just over $1 million in airport cigarette sales. Last year, airport cigarette lighter sales totaled approximately $48,000 dollars.

There are 11 smoking lounges on various concourses at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.