Saudi Arabian Airlines has decided to ban smoking on all its flights from next month . . . "We have now decided to ban smoking outright after conducting detailed marketing research. The majority of passengers demanded a total ban on smoking on all Saudia flights," he said.

Aeroflot said Monday that smoking will be banned on all flights as of March, a decision that marks an abrupt turnabout for an airline that was just months ago fiercely defending smoking. "This decision is dictated by the wish of passengers to buy tickets for nonsmoking flights and also by global tendencies in service," Aeroflot said in a statement. Aeroflot intends to slap the ban on flights of less than five hours to 93 destinations as of Nov. 15 and make longer flights, such as those to the United States, smoke-free starting March 30.

Middle East Airlines will ban smoking on all flights on May 31 in support of the national anti-smoking program organized by the Health Ministry and the World Health Organization. MEA issued a letter expressing its support for the program. “We support your efforts for a healthy country,” said the letter, “We are keen on making this day a success by our active and serious participation … no smoking will be permitted on any of our flights on that day.” The letter also expressed its support for the program’s efforts to reduce the risks caused by smoking as well as second-hand smoke.

EMIRATES will introduce a total no-smoking policy on all its flights starting from August 1. The smoking ban includes both daily flights from Bahrain to the Dubai International Airport, the airlines hub. Chairman Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said the decision was taken in response to customer requests and in-flight surveys. The overwhelming majority of our customers continue to indicate to us that they prefer no-smoking flights and I have now decided to change the companys long-standing smoking policy, he said. At present, the airline offers smoking seats on most flights but has introduced non-smoking flights in some sectors in response to passenger demand. These include Dubai-Manchester, some flights between Dubai and London Heathrow and flights between Dubai and Melbourne and Sydney, the airlines destinations in Australia. Arrival This policy will remain unchanged until July 31. All flights departing on July 31 from any point will offer smoking seats, even if their arrival times at destination fall on August 1. However, all flights departing after midnight on August 1 will be completely non-smoking.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines will start operating its all flight on international routes as "non-smoking" flights from April 14, reports UNB.Biman has decided to operate all non-smoking flights to make the journey of its valued passengers more comfortable and protect the environment,Biman presently operates non-smoking flights on domestic routes, said a Biman press release.

Effective Sunday, smoking will be banned on all scheduled airline flights between the United States and other countries, the Transportation Department announced Friday. . . Smoking has been banned on domestic U.S. flights since 1990, but that rule did not cover international flights arriving in or leaving the country. . . The ban taking effect Sunday implements a part of an aviation-overhaul act President Clinton signed April 5.

Spanair will begin a non-smoking policy on all of its North Atlantic, Intra-Europe and Intra-Spain flights effective today.

Air Zimbabwe has banned smoking on all its flights with effect from November 1. The airline said in a statement that it had come to the decision as it was concerned about the health of some of its passengers

Privately owned Qatar Airways said on Tuesday it would ban smoking on all scheduled flights from October 1. . . The statement said a study by the airline, which flies to 20 destinations, showed just 8 to 10 percent of its passengers requested smoking seats.

Smoking will be prohibited on flights between Gulf Arab states in September and the ban could be extended to flights to Africa and the rest of the Middle East, and then Europe and North America, a Saudi Airlines official told Reuters.

As of Thursday, Japan Airlines will ban smoking on all international flights -- but it will offer passengers an alternative. Those who find smoke-free flying troublesome will receive a little plastic tube in the shape of a cigarette to put in their mouths to help suppress the urge. . . Japan's biggest airline decided on the ban after a passenger poll last year found that 80 percent supported it. Smoking is already banned on Japan Airlines' domestic flights.

AEROMEXICO . . . has announced a new smoke-free inflight policy for all flights to and from the United States effective January 15, 1999. All of AEROMEXICO's international flights operating between the U.S. and Mexico, as well as domestic flights within Mexico, will be non-smoking. "We are implementing this new policy in response to our passengers who have indicated a preference for a smoke-free environment on board our aircraft," said Harald Bomberg, senior vice president of AEROMEXICO's U.S. Operations. "The only flights that will continue offering designated smoking sections are those from Mexico to South America and Europe because our European and South American passengers indicate they prefer a smoking choice."

Brazil's government has banned smoking on all domestic and international flights. The ruling came after a federal court in the southern city of Porto Alegre ruled that such a prohibition was necessary to protect the health of nonsmokers.

As part of its ongoing efforts to improve service, Royal Air Maroc, the national carrier of Morocco with the only nonstop flights between the U.S. and Casablanca, has banned smoking on all transatlantic flights as of September 1.

The major European airlines continue to take a stand against smoking. By April 1, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic will have eliminated smoking sections on all of their planes -- on all routes. The two join a list of other completely smoke-free European airlines, including Lufthansa, Aer Lingus, Finnair, Icelandair and Scandinavian Airlines. On March 29, Air France will join most of its European counterparts, which have already banned smoking on all trans-Atlantic flights. It's also eliminating smoking on flights between Los Angeles and Tahiti. (The only Air France flights from the United States with smoking sections will fly from Miami to the Caribbean.)

Airlines Flying 100% Smokefree:

• Aeroflot as of April 1, 2002
• Air Algerie is planning to extend its 1997 domestic smoking ban to all international flights in August, 2002.
• Air Canada has been 100% smokefree since 1990.
• Air France (as of Nov. 1, 2000; smoking cessation product supplied free.)
• Air Lingus
• Air Mauritius has been 100% smokefree since July 1, 1996.
• Air Zimbabwe As of November 1, 1999
• Ansett Airlines has been 100% smokefree since July 1, 1996.
• British Air As of April 1, 1998 the airline will be completely smokefree.
• Continental has been 100% smokefree since April, 1996.
• Croatia has been 100% smokefree since May 31, 1996.
• Delta has been 100% smokefree since Jan 1, 1995
• EgyptAir will ban smoking on all its flights from June 1, 2003.
• Emirates As of Aug. 1, 2001
• Finnair
• Garuda Indonesia as of Jan. 1, 2004.
• Iberia Spain's airline will become smokefree Sept. 1, 1999.
• Icelandair
• Lufthansa
• Luxair (Luxembourg)
• Middle East Airlines/strong> will ban smoking on all flights on May 31, 2001 ONLY. Fly that day.
• Qantas has been 100% smokefree since July 1, 1996.
• Qatar Airways (As of Oct. 1, 1999)
• Sabena (Beligum) As of June 1, 1998 the airline will be completely smokefree.
• Scandinavian Airlines
• Saudi Arabian Airlines as of June 1, 2002
• TWA has been 100% smokefree since April, 1997
• USAir has been 100% smokefree since June 1, 1996
• Virgin Atlantic As of April 1, 1998 the airline will be completely smokefree.
• Yugoslav Airlines Yugoslav national air carrier JAT decided 4/5/02 to ban smoking on all of its flights.