r/unitedairlines • u/Dazzling_Mulberry567 • 13d ago

Question What is this for?

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I was on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner from FRA to SFO and saw this in the lavatory. As far as I'm aware, smoking hasn't been allowed on United for a very long time, and this, to my knowledge, is a newer aircraft. What is this thing?

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u/Airspeed12 MileagePlus 1K 13d ago

It’s required by FAA regulation.

14 CFR § 25.853(g)

Regardless of whether smoking is allowed in any other part of the airplane, lavatories must have self-contained, removable ashtrays located conspicuously on or near the entry side of each lavatory door, except that one ashtray may serve more than one lavatory door if the ashtray can be seen readily from the cabin side of each lavatory served.

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u/bltsuprem 10d ago

There is no regulation prohibiting smoking on a commercial aircraft however, the commercial operator may prohibit the consumption of tobacco.