# Smoking at JFK **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 15, 2007, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187 "2007-05-15T15:28:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Neptunian\_Slug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce7236/32.png) [@Neptunian\_Slug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neptunian_Slug)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/1 "2007-05-15T15:28:50Z")
I found the following piece of information on the Website for JFK Airport. [http://www.panynj.gov/CommutingTravel/airports/html/ken\_retail.html](http://www.panynj.gov/CommutingTravel/airports/html/ken_retail.html) \*\*Smoking is prohibited in all public areas inside the passenger terminals at JFK International Airport \*\*with the exception of specifically designated areas within the liquor bars, where smoking is permitted. \*\* Up to now I have assumed that smoking was simply banned at the airport. Do any JFK frequent travelers know what this refers to and where you can smoke? Is this just really old information? ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/2 "2007-05-15T16:21:34Z")
I’m not positive, but I believe this is outdated info and now the only places you can smoke are in the member only airline lounges, and outside the front door. I think the lounges are exempt from the ban as they are considered private clubs. But don’t quote me on it. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/3 "2007-05-15T21:26:30Z")
I believe the smoking area at JFK is out back and, uh, to the left… ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/4 "2007-05-15T22:26:28Z")
Going thru Atlanta a few months back, I noted they had smoking lounges for the public located on each concourse. Some effort was made to restrict the bad smell, but with one of the smokers holding the door to the glassed-in area open, the hallway was pretty stinky. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/5 "2007-05-16T00:52:11Z")
O’hare ist completely rauchen verboten, has been for many years. ---
**Author:** ![WoodenTaco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/45deac/32.png) [@WoodenTaco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WoodenTaco)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/6 "2007-05-16T01:07:12Z")
Smoking is banned in all bars in New York City, so I’d be pretty shocked if they made an exception in an airport of all places. ---
**Author:** ![Engywook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Engywook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engywook)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/7 "2007-05-16T17:25:12Z")
Four U.S. airports that I know of that have “cancer fishbowls,” or other areas beyond security, where smoking is permitted: 1. Atlanta. I haven’t been there in over two years, but **Qadgop** says this is current as of a few months ago. 2. Las Vegas. I imagine Nevada will be the last state to enact a public indoor smoking law (or may even be the only state left not to have such a law), so I wouldn’t expect this to change any time soon. 3. St. Louis. 4. Memphis. And until last year, there were a couple of bars at the Newark airport where it was allowed, but Jersey followed New York’s lead last April. Another note: this is all from at least a year ago, when I was a road warrior. I was a regular guest of about 20 different airports, so from this sample I’d guess there are maybe 2 other airports in the Big 30 where smokers can comfortably cross the security screeners without nicotine gum. Perhaps not even that… last I checked, airports are by law entirely smoke free in California, Texas, New York, New Jersey and probably more states since then. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/8 "2007-05-16T17:44:34Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Going thru Atlanta a few months back, I noted they had smoking lounges for the public located on each concourse. [/QUOTE] I saw those back in September. Depressing little places. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/9 "2007-05-16T17:51:01Z")
LAX has outdoor smoking areas along several of the concourses. It makes the waits much more bearable for us smokers and makes it better for the non-smokers since they are outside. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/10 "2007-05-16T18:06:49Z")
[QUOTE=SmackFu] I saw those back in September. Depressing little places. [/QUOTE] They are depressing, but I’m glad they’re there. You’d think they could jazz them up with anti-smoking posters on the wall, something. ---
**Author:** ![Spit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/76d3ee/32.png) [@Spit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spit)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/11 "2007-05-17T06:23:33Z")
[QUOTE=Engywook] Four U.S. airports that I know of that have “cancer fishbowls,” or other areas beyond security, where smoking is permitted: 1. Atlanta. I haven’t been there in over two years, but **Qadgop** says this is current as of a few months ago. 2. Las Vegas. I imagine Nevada will be the last state to enact a public indoor smoking law (or may even be the only state left not to have such a law), so I wouldn’t expect this to change any time soon. 3. St. Louis. 4. Memphis. QUOTE] Add to that: LAX Tampa Denver Pittsburgh ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/12 "2007-05-17T07:53:41Z")
[QUOTE=Spit] [QUOTE=Engywook] Four U.S. airports that I know of that have “cancer fishbowls,” or other areas beyond security, where smoking is permitted: 1. Atlanta. I haven’t been there in over two years, but **Qadgop** says this is current as of a few months ago. 2. Las Vegas. I imagine Nevada will be the last state to enact a public indoor smoking law (or may even be the only state left not to have such a law), so I wouldn’t expect this to change any time soon. 3. St. Louis. 4. Memphis. QUOTE] Add to that: LAX Tampa Denver Pittsburgh [/QUOTE] I’ll need to see a cite on LAX, as smoking in a public place is illegal in all CA. Except _maybe_ in a “cigar club”. In other words, if it is inside and open to the public, there is no smoking. Period. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/13 "2007-05-17T16:30:31Z")
[QUOTE=Spit] [QUOTE=Engywook] Four U.S. airports that I know of that have “cancer fishbowls,” or other areas beyond security, where smoking is permitted: 1. Atlanta. I haven’t been there in over two years, but **Qadgop** says this is current as of a few months ago. 2. Las Vegas. I imagine Nevada will be the last state to enact a public indoor smoking law (or may even be the only state left not to have such a law), so I wouldn’t expect this to change any time soon. 3. St. Louis. 4. Memphis. QUOTE] Add to that: LAX Tampa Denver Pittsburgh [/QUOTE] Also add: Manchester NH. (I’ll double check that at the beginning of June.) My question though, is how do you light the cigarette? You can’t bring matches or lighters onto the plane any more, right? ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/14 "2007-05-17T16:35:58Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] [QUOTE=Spit] I’ll need to see a cite on LAX, as smoking in a public place is illegal in all CA. Except _maybe_ in a “cigar club”. In other words, if it is inside and open to the public, there is no smoking. Period. [/QUOTE] See post #9. LAX has areas beyond security that you can smoke. They are outdoor patios along the concourse. The map section of the lax website seems to be down so my cite is the fact that I used that area to smoke while traveling last christmas. It falls under the ‘other areas beyond security’ portion from **Engywook** ’s list. ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/15 "2007-05-17T17:20:03Z")
[QUOTE=butler1850] [QUOTE=Spit] Also add: Manchester NH. (I’ll double check that at the beginning of June.) My question though, is how do you light the cigarette? You can’t bring matches or lighters onto the plane any more, right? [/QUOTE] You have to rub two sticks together, add some kindling and voila, smoke. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/16 "2007-05-17T19:31:35Z")
[QUOTE=butler1850] My question though, is how do you light the cigarette? You can’t bring matches or lighters onto the plane any more, right? [/QUOTE] The TSA rules allow for up to 4 books of safety matches in carry-on bags. Lighters are not allowed in carry on, though I’ve always carried at least one and never had an issue. ---
**Author:** ![nesta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a4c791/32.png) [@nesta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nesta)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-at-jfk/404187/17 "2007-05-17T23:01:54Z")
The OP has been answered, but I just thought I’d chime in and say yep, no smoking in the terminal at JFK. I spent about sixteen hellish hours at JFK waiting on a connecting flight that got delayed, cancelled, rescheduled, cancelled, rescheduled, and then delayed again. I think I went through security about 10 times going out to smoke and then going back in because the flight was going to “leave any minute.” Airports with pointless smoke-free policies are by far the worst part of traveling for me, and I assume many other smokers.