Man Who Sneaked a Smoke on Jet Faces Fines Up to $6,000
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RENO — A Seattle man on a 100-minute flight from his hometown to Reno has reportedly become the first person charged with violating a 3-week-old federal ban on smoking on domestic airline trips that last two hours or less.
Darryl Seigel, 38, is facing fines up to $6,000 for taking a few secret puffs on a cigarette he admits he smoked while in the plane’s lavatory Thursday.
Seigel said he did not purposely break the law but lighted up absent-mindedly when he was in the plane lavatory.
“It was an honest mistake,” he said.
Seigel was detained by Reno Cannon International Airport security for two hours Thursday at the request of the USAir flight crew.
About 20 minutes into the plane ride, a flight attendant spotted smoke after Seigel left the lavatory, asked him if he knew about the federal law, then informed him he would be arrested.
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