10 surprising airline rules that you may never know once existed

Some people may recall a time when flyers could light up a cigarette onboard, say “bon voyage” to a loved one from right at the gate, or even enjoy a luxurious lounge atmosphere complete with a piano bar from economy class. While traces of these times may be noticeable on in-flight signage or the flight attendants’ safety warnings, some of these rules may surprise you. Take a look at these 10 surprising airline rules you may never have known about:

Smoking

Unless you like to light up, you’re probably glad you can no longer smoke onboard flights today. Once upon a time, airline cabins were divided both by status (first class and economy class) and recreational habits. Airlines didn’t even charge smokers a premium for the privilege. Both smoking and non-smoking tickets were sold for the same price. Airlines started phasing out smoking sections on U.S. domestic flights in 1998. By the mid-1990s, all U.S. flights…