News In Brief

CAB rejects smoking ban on commercial airliners

The Civil Aeronautics Board rejected Monday proposals to ban smoking on most commercial flights in the United States. The proposed smoking ban was fought successfully by the tobacco industry and the airlines.

The board voted unanimously to turn down proposals that would have banned smoking on flights lasting either one hour or less or two hours or less. Flights of up to two hours cover about 90 percent of all domestic commercial flights, and flights lasting up to one hour represent about half of all flights.

McKinnon said the decision means that current federal rules governing smoking will remain in effect.