SMINTAIR
Smokers International Airline
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Smoke and enjoy the flight
By Nicola Clark International Herald Tribune
September 3, 2006
PARIS If Alexander Schoppmann is right, then where there’s smoke, there’s a
flier.
flier.
As more countries ban smoking in public places, his idea might seem
malapropos. But Schoppmann, a German entrepreneur, is hoping to turn
smokers’ umbrage at ever-expanding efforts to stub out their habit into a
highflying business proposal: Smoker’s International Airways.
malapropos. But Schoppmann, a German entrepreneur, is hoping to turn
smokers’ umbrage at ever-expanding efforts to stub out their habit into a
highflying business proposal: Smoker’s International Airways.
As the name suggests, the airline, known as Smintair for short, will
probably not be for the faint of lung. The carrier, expected to begin luxury
service with only business and first-class seats early next year, plans
daily flights between Schoppmann’s hometown of D?sseldorf and Tokyo – a
12-hour journey that, for some inveterate smokers, is simply not worth the
nicotine-withdrawal headache.
probably not be for the faint of lung. The carrier, expected to begin luxury
service with only business and first-class seats early next year, plans
daily flights between Schoppmann’s hometown of D?sseldorf and Tokyo – a
12-hour journey that, for some inveterate smokers, is simply not worth the
nicotine-withdrawal headache.
“Many people simply don’t travel long distances anymore because they can’t
smoke,” said Schoppmann, 55, who admits to a 30-a-day cigarette habit as
well as the occasional cigar. “That has to be why they invented
videoconferencing.”
smoke,” said Schoppmann, 55, who admits to a 30-a-day cigarette habit as
well as the occasional cigar. “That has to be why they invented
videoconferencing.”
It is also about comfort, he insists. “Air travel used to be a luxury
experience,” Schoppmann said. “Today the prices are exploding, and the
service is going down to zilch. We want to bring back the joy of flying.”
experience,” Schoppmann said. “Today the prices are exploding, and the
service is going down to zilch. We want to bring back the joy of flying.”
On-board smoking has been prohibited on most major airlines for years: Since
2000, all of the world’s busiest international routes have been essentially
smoke-free. Within the United States, the government has banned in-flight
smoking for almost two decades. Most European carriers are not required by
law to ban smoking but have voluntarily introduced no-smoking policies. In
Japan, carriers stopped allowing smoking on most flights in the late 1990s.
2000, all of the world’s busiest international routes have been essentially
smoke-free. Within the United States, the government has banned in-flight
smoking for almost two decades. Most European carriers are not required by
law to ban smoking but have voluntarily introduced no-smoking policies. In
Japan, carriers stopped allowing smoking on most flights in the late 1990s.
Smoking bans on long-haul flights, though, are not just cruel and unusual as
far as Schoppmann is concerned – they are downright repressive.
far as Schoppmann is concerned – they are downright repressive.
“Considering the amount of money I put on the table for the ticket, I don’t
understand why somebody should be able to tell me I can’t do what I like,”
he said.
understand why somebody should be able to tell me I can’t do what I like,”
he said.
By starting with service between Germany and Japan, two of the world’s most
smoker-filled countries, Schoppmann said he expected Smintair to profit from
the steady flow of business travel between the two. While it might seem a
bit out of the way, D?sseldorf – sometimes referred to as Tokyo on the
Rhine – is home to a Japanese population of more than 15,000, the
third-largest in Europe, after those in London and Paris. Roughly 300
Japanese companies have European headquarters in or around D?sseldorf.
smoker-filled countries, Schoppmann said he expected Smintair to profit from
the steady flow of business travel between the two. While it might seem a
bit out of the way, D?sseldorf – sometimes referred to as Tokyo on the
Rhine – is home to a Japanese population of more than 15,000, the
third-largest in Europe, after those in London and Paris. Roughly 300
Japanese companies have European headquarters in or around D?sseldorf.
According to the International Air Transport Association, more than a
million passengers traveled between Japan and Germany in 2004, a figure that
is expected to increase by an average of 3.6 percent a year through 2009.
While the majority of Japanese visitors to Germany are tourists, fully half
of the Germans traveling to Japan are there on business.
million passengers traveled between Japan and Germany in 2004, a figure that
is expected to increase by an average of 3.6 percent a year through 2009.
While the majority of Japanese visitors to Germany are tourists, fully half
of the Germans traveling to Japan are there on business.
What’s more, about one-quarter of Germans smoke, while government surveys
say 49 percent of men and 14 percent of women in Japan smoke.
say 49 percent of men and 14 percent of women in Japan smoke.
“We expect all of our flights to be overbooked,” Schoppmann said.
Despite his deep empathy with smoking travelers, Schoppmann said Smintair’s
raison d’?tre was not simply to create a haven for nicotine addicts.
Smintair is also promoting its exclusivity, offering only business and
first- class seats. Its two 747s – normally configured to seat around 415
people – will be fitted with just 138 seats.
raison d’?tre was not simply to create a haven for nicotine addicts.
Smintair is also promoting its exclusivity, offering only business and
first- class seats. Its two 747s – normally configured to seat around 415
people – will be fitted with just 138 seats.
In some ways, Schoppmann’s business plan is directed at the same type of
clientele that used to fly the Concorde until Air France and British Airways
canceled the supersonic service in 2003. Smoking was always allowed on
Concorde flights, where passengers paid upward of $9,000 for a seat.
clientele that used to fly the Concorde until Air France and British Airways
canceled the supersonic service in 2003. Smoking was always allowed on
Concorde flights, where passengers paid upward of $9,000 for a seat.
On Smintair, Schoppmann said, ticket prices will be in line with those of
the German flag carrier Lufthansa, whose Web site recently offered a nonstop
business-class ticket from Frankfurt to Tokyo for €4,298, or $5,500, and
€6,452 for first class.
the German flag carrier Lufthansa, whose Web site recently offered a nonstop
business-class ticket from Frankfurt to Tokyo for €4,298, or $5,500, and
€6,452 for first class.
Even with smoking statistics in its favor, some experts say Smintair is a
gamble. Past attempts to create smokers’ airlines in the United States have
come to naught. In 1988, when Congress banned smoking on all flights of less
than two hours, a group of Texas-based investors sought to set up the Great
American Smokers’ Club, a members- only charter service between Dallas and
Houston. Despite signing up more than 6,000 members, the venture failed
after regulators refused to grant it a license.
gamble. Past attempts to create smokers’ airlines in the United States have
come to naught. In 1988, when Congress banned smoking on all flights of less
than two hours, a group of Texas-based investors sought to set up the Great
American Smokers’ Club, a members- only charter service between Dallas and
Houston. Despite signing up more than 6,000 members, the venture failed
after regulators refused to grant it a license.
Five years later, after the U.S. ban was extended to include long-haul
flights, a similar venture in Florida, Smokers Express, failed to raise
enough money from investors.
flights, a similar venture in Florida, Smokers Express, failed to raise
enough money from investors.
“These specialized things frequently come to grief,” Daniel Solon, an
analyst at Avmark, a commercial aviation consultancy, said of Smintair.
analyst at Avmark, a commercial aviation consultancy, said of Smintair.
Moreover, there is the question of whether smokers would take the trouble to
make their way to D?sseldorf just to take a 12-hour smoking flight.
make their way to D?sseldorf just to take a 12-hour smoking flight.
“If I’m in London making a lot of money in the City and I decide that I want
to go to Japan, I’m not sure it’s worth my while,” Solon said. “Unless
you’ve really got a heavy habit, most smokers should be able to handle 12
hours on the plane without lighting up.”
to go to Japan, I’m not sure it’s worth my while,” Solon said. “Unless
you’ve really got a heavy habit, most smokers should be able to handle 12
hours on the plane without lighting up.”
Schoppmann said he had lined up nearly €300 million since May from private
investors in Europe and the Middle East. The company expects to apply for an
operating license with German regulators by late September and hopes to
eventually hire about 275 people.
investors in Europe and the Middle East. The company expects to apply for an
operating license with German regulators by late September and hopes to
eventually hire about 275 people.
Germany and Japan permit smoking in workplaces, so the argument that many
European countries and the United States have used to ban smoking – the
health hazard to employees – would not be relevant there.
European countries and the United States have used to ban smoking – the
health hazard to employees – would not be relevant there.
Smintair’s safety prohibitions will bar smoking during takeoff and landing,
nor will it be permitted in the toilets.
nor will it be permitted in the toilets.
Michael Lamberty, a spokesman for Lufthansa, declined to comment on
Smintair’s prospects. “Let’s wait for the smoke to clear,” he said. All
Lufthansa flights have been nonsmoking since 1989, he said, adding,
“Passengers and we as an airline have been happy with it.”
Smintair’s prospects. “Let’s wait for the smoke to clear,” he said. All
Lufthansa flights have been nonsmoking since 1989, he said, adding,
“Passengers and we as an airline have been happy with it.”
Meanwhile, the anti-smoking movement appears to be gaining ground in
Germany. The country’s consumer affairs minister, Horst Seehofer, said in
July that the government planned after the summer break to propose a
nationwide ban on smoking in public places beginning next year.
Germany. The country’s consumer affairs minister, Horst Seehofer, said in
July that the government planned after the summer break to propose a
nationwide ban on smoking in public places beginning next year.
“I would love that,” Schoppmann said. “They are playing into our hands.”
PARIS If Alexander Schoppmann is right, then where there’s smoke, there’s a
flier.
flier.
As more countries ban smoking in public places, his idea might seem
malapropos. But Schoppmann, a German entrepreneur, is hoping to turn
smokers’ umbrage at ever-expanding efforts to stub out their habit into a
highflying business proposal: Smoker’s International Airways.
malapropos. But Schoppmann, a German entrepreneur, is hoping to turn
smokers’ umbrage at ever-expanding efforts to stub out their habit into a
highflying business proposal: Smoker’s International Airways.
As the name suggests, the airline, known as Smintair for short, will
probably not be for the faint of lung. The carrier, expected to begin luxury
service with only business and first-class seats early next year, plans
daily flights between Schoppmann’s hometown of D?sseldorf and Tokyo – a
12-hour journey that, for some inveterate smokers, is simply not worth the
nicotine-withdrawal headache.
probably not be for the faint of lung. The carrier, expected to begin luxury
service with only business and first-class seats early next year, plans
daily flights between Schoppmann’s hometown of D?sseldorf and Tokyo – a
12-hour journey that, for some inveterate smokers, is simply not worth the
nicotine-withdrawal headache.
“Many people simply don’t travel long distances anymore because they can’t
smoke,” said Schoppmann, 55, who admits to a 30-a-day cigarette habit as
well as the occasional cigar. “That has to be why they invented
videoconferencing.”
smoke,” said Schoppmann, 55, who admits to a 30-a-day cigarette habit as
well as the occasional cigar. “That has to be why they invented
videoconferencing.”
It is also about comfort, he insists. “Air travel used to be a luxury
experience,” Schoppmann said. “Today the prices are exploding, and the
service is going down to zilch. We want to bring back the joy of flying.”
experience,” Schoppmann said. “Today the prices are exploding, and the
service is going down to zilch. We want to bring back the joy of flying.”
On-board smoking has been prohibited on most major airlines for years: Since
2000, all of the world’s busiest international routes have been essentially
smoke-free. Within the United States, the government has banned in-flight
smoking for almost two decades. Most European carriers are not required by
law to ban smoking but have voluntarily introduced no-smoking policies. In
Japan, carriers stopped allowing smoking on most flights in the late 1990s.
2000, all of the world’s busiest international routes have been essentially
smoke-free. Within the United States, the government has banned in-flight
smoking for almost two decades. Most European carriers are not required by
law to ban smoking but have voluntarily introduced no-smoking policies. In
Japan, carriers stopped allowing smoking on most flights in the late 1990s.
Smoking bans on long-haul flights, though, are not just cruel and unusual as
far as Schoppmann is concerned – they are downright repressive.
far as Schoppmann is concerned – they are downright repressive.
“Considering the amount of money I put on the table for the ticket, I don’t
understand why somebody should be able to tell me I can’t do what I like,”
he said.
understand why somebody should be able to tell me I can’t do what I like,”
he said.
By starting with service between Germany and Japan, two of the world’s most
smoker-filled countries, Schoppmann said he expected Smintair to profit from
the steady flow of business travel between the two. While it might seem a
bit out of the way, D?sseldorf – sometimes referred to as Tokyo on the
Rhine – is home to a Japanese population of more than 15,000, the
third-largest in Europe, after those in London and Paris. Roughly 300
Japanese companies have European headquarters in or around D?sseldorf.
smoker-filled countries, Schoppmann said he expected Smintair to profit from
the steady flow of business travel between the two. While it might seem a
bit out of the way, D?sseldorf – sometimes referred to as Tokyo on the
Rhine – is home to a Japanese population of more than 15,000, the
third-largest in Europe, after those in London and Paris. Roughly 300
Japanese companies have European headquarters in or around D?sseldorf.
According to the International Air Transport Association, more than a
million passengers traveled between Japan and Germany in 2004, a figure that
is expected to increase by an average of 3.6 percent a year through 2009.
While the majority of Japanese visitors to Germany are tourists, fully half
of the Germans traveling to Japan are there on business.
million passengers traveled between Japan and Germany in 2004, a figure that
is expected to increase by an average of 3.6 percent a year through 2009.
While the majority of Japanese visitors to Germany are tourists, fully half
of the Germans traveling to Japan are there on business.
What’s more, about one-quarter of Germans smoke, while government surveys
say 49 percent of men and 14 percent of women in Japan smoke.
say 49 percent of men and 14 percent of women in Japan smoke.
“We expect all of our flights to be overbooked,” Schoppmann said.
Despite his deep empathy with smoking travelers, Schoppmann said Smintair’s
raison d’?tre was not simply to create a haven for nicotine addicts.
Smintair is also promoting its exclusivity, offering only business and
first- class seats. Its two 747s – normally configured to seat around 415
people – will be fitted with just 138 seats.
raison d’?tre was not simply to create a haven for nicotine addicts.
Smintair is also promoting its exclusivity, offering only business and
first- class seats. Its two 747s – normally configured to seat around 415
people – will be fitted with just 138 seats.
In some ways, Schoppmann’s business plan is directed at the same type of
clientele that used to fly the Concorde until Air France and British Airways
canceled the supersonic service in 2003. Smoking was always allowed on
Concorde flights, where passengers paid upward of $9,000 for a seat.
clientele that used to fly the Concorde until Air France and British Airways
canceled the supersonic service in 2003. Smoking was always allowed on
Concorde flights, where passengers paid upward of $9,000 for a seat.
On Smintair, Schoppmann said, ticket prices will be in line with those of
the German flag carrier Lufthansa, whose Web site recently offered a nonstop
business-class ticket from Frankfurt to Tokyo for €4,298, or $5,500, and
€6,452 for first class.
the German flag carrier Lufthansa, whose Web site recently offered a nonstop
business-class ticket from Frankfurt to Tokyo for €4,298, or $5,500, and
€6,452 for first class.
Even with smoking statistics in its favor, some experts say Smintair is a
gamble. Past attempts to create smokers’ airlines in the United States have
come to naught. In 1988, when Congress banned smoking on all flights of less
than two hours, a group of Texas-based investors sought to set up the Great
American Smokers’ Club, a members- only charter service between Dallas and
Houston. Despite signing up more than 6,000 members, the venture failed
after regulators refused to grant it a license.
gamble. Past attempts to create smokers’ airlines in the United States have
come to naught. In 1988, when Congress banned smoking on all flights of less
than two hours, a group of Texas-based investors sought to set up the Great
American Smokers’ Club, a members- only charter service between Dallas and
Houston. Despite signing up more than 6,000 members, the venture failed
after regulators refused to grant it a license.
Five years later, after the U.S. ban was extended to include long-haul
flights, a similar venture in Florida, Smokers Express, failed to raise
enough money from investors.
flights, a similar venture in Florida, Smokers Express, failed to raise
enough money from investors.
“These specialized things frequently come to grief,” Daniel Solon, an
analyst at Avmark, a commercial aviation consultancy, said of Smintair.
analyst at Avmark, a commercial aviation consultancy, said of Smintair.
Moreover, there is the question of whether smokers would take the trouble to
make their way to D?sseldorf just to take a 12-hour smoking flight.
make their way to D?sseldorf just to take a 12-hour smoking flight.
“If I’m in London making a lot of money in the City and I decide that I want
to go to Japan, I’m not sure it’s worth my while,” Solon said. “Unless
you’ve really got a heavy habit, most smokers should be able to handle 12
hours on the plane without lighting up.”
to go to Japan, I’m not sure it’s worth my while,” Solon said. “Unless
you’ve really got a heavy habit, most smokers should be able to handle 12
hours on the plane without lighting up.”
Schoppmann said he had lined up nearly €300 million since May from private
investors in Europe and the Middle East. The company expects to apply for an
operating license with German regulators by late September and hopes to
eventually hire about 275 people.
investors in Europe and the Middle East. The company expects to apply for an
operating license with German regulators by late September and hopes to
eventually hire about 275 people.
Germany and Japan permit smoking in workplaces, so the argument that many
European countries and the United States have used to ban smoking – the
health hazard to employees – would not be relevant there.
European countries and the United States have used to ban smoking – the
health hazard to employees – would not be relevant there.
Smintair’s safety prohibitions will bar smoking during takeoff and landing,
nor will it be permitted in the toilets.
nor will it be permitted in the toilets.
Michael Lamberty, a spokesman for Lufthansa, declined to comment on
Smintair’s prospects. “Let’s wait for the smoke to clear,” he said. All
Lufthansa flights have been nonsmoking since 1989, he said, adding,
“Passengers and we as an airline have been happy with it.”
Smintair’s prospects. “Let’s wait for the smoke to clear,” he said. All
Lufthansa flights have been nonsmoking since 1989, he said, adding,
“Passengers and we as an airline have been happy with it.”
Meanwhile, the anti-smoking movement appears to be gaining ground in
Germany. The country’s consumer affairs minister, Horst Seehofer, said in
July that the government planned after the summer break to propose a
nationwide ban on smoking in public places beginning next year.
Germany. The country’s consumer affairs minister, Horst Seehofer, said in
July that the government planned after the summer break to propose a
nationwide ban on smoking in public places beginning next year.
“I would love that,” Schoppmann said. “They are playing into our hands.”
PARIS If Alexander Schoppmann is right, then where there’s smoke, there’s a
flier.
flier.
As more countries ban smoking in public places, his idea might seem
malapropos. But Schoppmann, a German entrepreneur, is hoping to turn
smokers’ umbrage at ever-expanding efforts to stub out their habit into a
highflying business proposal: Smoker’s International Airways.
malapropos. But Schoppmann, a German entrepreneur, is hoping to turn
smokers’ umbrage at ever-expanding efforts to stub out their habit into a
highflying business proposal: Smoker’s International Airways.
As the name suggests, the airline, known as Smintair for short, will
probably not be for the faint of lung. The carrier, expected to begin luxury
service with only business and first-class seats early next year, plans
daily flights between Schoppmann’s hometown of D?sseldorf and Tokyo – a
12-hour journey that, for some inveterate smokers, is simply not worth the
nicotine-withdrawal headache.
probably not be for the faint of lung. The carrier, expected to begin luxury
service with only business and first-class seats early next year, plans
daily flights between Schoppmann’s hometown of D?sseldorf and Tokyo – a
12-hour journey that, for some inveterate smokers, is simply not worth the
nicotine-withdrawal headache.
“Many people simply don’t travel long distances anymore because they can’t
smoke,” said Schoppmann, 55, who admits to a 30-a-day cigarette habit as
well as the occasional cigar. “That has to be why they invented
videoconferencing.”
smoke,” said Schoppmann, 55, who admits to a 30-a-day cigarette habit as
well as the occasional cigar. “That has to be why they invented
videoconferencing.”
It is also about comfort, he insists. “Air travel used to be a luxury
experience,” Schoppmann said. “Today the prices are exploding, and the
service is going down to zilch. We want to bring back the joy of flying.”
experience,” Schoppmann said. “Today the prices are exploding, and the
service is going down to zilch. We want to bring back the joy of flying.”
On-board smoking has been prohibited on most major airlines for years: Since
2000, all of the world’s busiest international routes have been essentially
smoke-free. Within the United States, the government has banned in-flight
smoking for almost two decades. Most European carriers are not required by
law to ban smoking but have voluntarily introduced no-smoking policies. In
Japan, carriers stopped allowing smoking on most flights in the late 1990s.
2000, all of the world’s busiest international routes have been essentially
smoke-free. Within the United States, the government has banned in-flight
smoking for almost two decades. Most European carriers are not required by
law to ban smoking but have voluntarily introduced no-smoking policies. In
Japan, carriers stopped allowing smoking on most flights in the late 1990s.
Smoking bans on long-haul flights, though, are not just cruel and unusual as
far as Schoppmann is concerned – they are downright repressive.
far as Schoppmann is concerned – they are downright repressive.
“Considering the amount of money I put on the table for the ticket, I don’t
understand why somebody should be able to tell me I can’t do what I like,”
he said.
understand why somebody should be able to tell me I can’t do what I like,”
he said.
By starting with service between Germany and Japan, two of the world’s most
smoker-filled countries, Schoppmann said he expected Smintair to profit from
the steady flow of business travel between the two. While it might seem a
bit out of the way, D?sseldorf – sometimes referred to as Tokyo on the
Rhine – is home to a Japanese population of more than 15,000, the
third-largest in Europe, after those in London and Paris. Roughly 300
Japanese companies have European headquarters in or around D?sseldorf.
smoker-filled countries, Schoppmann said he expected Smintair to profit from
the steady flow of business travel between the two. While it might seem a
bit out of the way, D?sseldorf – sometimes referred to as Tokyo on the
Rhine – is home to a Japanese population of more than 15,000, the
third-largest in Europe, after those in London and Paris. Roughly 300
Japanese companies have European headquarters in or around D?sseldorf.
According to the International Air Transport Association, more than a
million passengers traveled between Japan and Germany in 2004, a figure that
is expected to increase by an average of 3.6 percent a year through 2009.
While the majority of Japanese visitors to Germany are tourists, fully half
of the Germans traveling to Japan are there on business.
million passengers traveled between Japan and Germany in 2004, a figure that
is expected to increase by an average of 3.6 percent a year through 2009.
While the majority of Japanese visitors to Germany are tourists, fully half
of the Germans traveling to Japan are there on business.
What’s more, about one-quarter of Germans smoke, while government surveys
say 49 percent of men and 14 percent of women in Japan smoke.
say 49 percent of men and 14 percent of women in Japan smoke.
“We expect all of our flights to be overbooked,” Schoppmann said.
Despite his deep empathy with smoking travelers, Schoppmann said Smintair’s
raison d’?tre was not simply to create a haven for nicotine addicts.
Smintair is also promoting its exclusivity, offering only business and
first- class seats. Its two 747s – normally configured to seat around 415
people – will be fitted with just 138 seats.
raison d’?tre was not simply to create a haven for nicotine addicts.
Smintair is also promoting its exclusivity, offering only business and
first- class seats. Its two 747s – normally configured to seat around 415
people – will be fitted with just 138 seats.
In some ways, Schoppmann’s business plan is directed at the same type of
clientele that used to fly the Concorde until Air France and British Airways
canceled the supersonic service in 2003. Smoking was always allowed on
Concorde flights, where passengers paid upward of $9,000 for a seat.
clientele that used to fly the Concorde until Air France and British Airways
canceled the supersonic service in 2003. Smoking was always allowed on
Concorde flights, where passengers paid upward of $9,000 for a seat.
On Smintair, Schoppmann said, ticket prices will be in line with those of
the German flag carrier Lufthansa, whose Web site recently offered a nonstop
business-class ticket from Frankfurt to Tokyo for €4,298, or $5,500, and
€6,452 for first class.
the German flag carrier Lufthansa, whose Web site recently offered a nonstop
business-class ticket from Frankfurt to Tokyo for €4,298, or $5,500, and
€6,452 for first class.
Even with smoking statistics in its favor, some experts say Smintair is a
gamble. Past attempts to create smokers’ airlines in the United States have
come to naught. In 1988, when Congress banned smoking on all flights of less
than two hours, a group of Texas-based investors sought to set up the Great
American Smokers’ Club, a members- only charter service between Dallas and
Houston. Despite signing up more than 6,000 members, the venture failed
after regulators refused to grant it a license.
gamble. Past attempts to create smokers’ airlines in the United States have
come to naught. In 1988, when Congress banned smoking on all flights of less
than two hours, a group of Texas-based investors sought to set up the Great
American Smokers’ Club, a members- only charter service between Dallas and
Houston. Despite signing up more than 6,000 members, the venture failed
after regulators refused to grant it a license.
Five years later, after the U.S. ban was extended to include long-haul
flights, a similar venture in Florida, Smokers Express, failed to raise
enough money from investors.
flights, a similar venture in Florida, Smokers Express, failed to raise
enough money from investors.
“These specialized things frequently come to grief,” Daniel Solon, an
analyst at Avmark, a commercial aviation consultancy, said of Smintair.
analyst at Avmark, a commercial aviation consultancy, said of Smintair.
Moreover, there is the question of whether smokers would take the trouble to
make their way to D?sseldorf just to take a 12-hour smoking flight.
make their way to D?sseldorf just to take a 12-hour smoking flight.
“If I’m in London making a lot of money in the City and I decide that I want
to go to Japan, I’m not sure it’s worth my while,” Solon said. “Unless
you’ve really got a heavy habit, most smokers should be able to handle 12
hours on the plane without lighting up.”
to go to Japan, I’m not sure it’s worth my while,” Solon said. “Unless
you’ve really got a heavy habit, most smokers should be able to handle 12
hours on the plane without lighting up.”
Schoppmann said he had lined up nearly €300 million since May from private
investors in Europe and the Middle East. The company expects to apply for an
operating license with German regulators by late September and hopes to
eventually hire about 275 people.
investors in Europe and the Middle East. The company expects to apply for an
operating license with German regulators by late September and hopes to
eventually hire about 275 people.
Germany and Japan permit smoking in workplaces, so the argument that many
European countries and the United States have used to ban smoking – the
health hazard to employees – would not be relevant there.
European countries and the United States have used to ban smoking – the
health hazard to employees – would not be relevant there.
Smintair’s safety prohibitions will bar smoking during takeoff and landing,
nor will it be permitted in the toilets.
nor will it be permitted in the toilets.
Michael Lamberty, a spokesman for Lufthansa, declined to comment on
Smintair’s prospects. “Let’s wait for the smoke to clear,” he said. All
Lufthansa flights have been nonsmoking since 1989, he said, adding,
“Passengers and we as an airline have been happy with it.”
Smintair’s prospects. “Let’s wait for the smoke to clear,” he said. All
Lufthansa flights have been nonsmoking since 1989, he said, adding,
“Passengers and we as an airline have been happy with it.”
Meanwhile, the anti-smoking movement appears to be gaining ground in
Germany. The country’s consumer affairs minister, Horst Seehofer, said in
July that the government planned after the summer break to propose a
nationwide ban on smoking in public places beginning next year.
Germany. The country’s consumer affairs minister, Horst Seehofer, said in
July that the government planned after the summer break to propose a
nationwide ban on smoking in public places beginning next year.
“I would love that,” Schoppmann said. “They are playing into our hands.”
PARIS If Alexander Schoppmann is right, then where there’s smoke, there’s a
flier.
flier.
As more countries ban smoking in public places, his idea might seem
malapropos. But Schoppmann, a German entrepreneur, is hoping to turn
smokers’ umbrage at ever-expanding efforts to stub out their habit into a
highflying business proposal: Smoker’s International Airways.
malapropos. But Schoppmann, a German entrepreneur, is hoping to turn
smokers’ umbrage at ever-expanding efforts to stub out their habit into a
highflying business proposal: Smoker’s International Airways.
As the name suggests, the airline, known as Smintair for short, will
probably not be for the faint of lung. The carrier, expected to begin luxury
service with only business and first-class seats early next year, plans
daily flights between Schoppmann’s hometown of D?sseldorf and Tokyo – a
12-hour journey that, for some inveterate smokers, is simply not worth the
nicotine-withdrawal headache.
probably not be for the faint of lung. The carrier, expected to begin luxury
service with only business and first-class seats early next year, plans
daily flights between Schoppmann’s hometown of D?sseldorf and Tokyo – a
12-hour journey that, for some inveterate smokers, is simply not worth the
nicotine-withdrawal headache.
“Many people simply don’t travel long distances anymore because they can’t
smoke,” said Schoppmann, 55, who admits to a 30-a-day cigarette habit as
well as the occasional cigar. “That has to be why they invented
videoconferencing.”
smoke,” said Schoppmann, 55, who admits to a 30-a-day cigarette habit as
well as the occasional cigar. “That has to be why they invented
videoconferencing.”
It is also about comfort, he insists. “Air travel used to be a luxury
experience,” Schoppmann said. “Today the prices are exploding, and the
service is going down to zilch. We want to bring back the joy of flying.”
experience,” Schoppmann said. “Today the prices are exploding, and the
service is going down to zilch. We want to bring back the joy of flying.”
On-board smoking has been prohibited on most major airlines for years: Since
2000, all of the world’s busiest international routes have been essentially
smoke-free. Within the United States, the government has banned in-flight
smoking for almost two decades. Most European carriers are not required by
law to ban smoking but have voluntarily introduced no-smoking policies. In
Japan, carriers stopped allowing smoking on most flights in the late 1990s.
2000, all of the world’s busiest international routes have been essentially
smoke-free. Within the United States, the government has banned in-flight
smoking for almost two decades. Most European carriers are not required by
law to ban smoking but have voluntarily introduced no-smoking policies. In
Japan, carriers stopped allowing smoking on most flights in the late 1990s.
Smoking bans on long-haul flights, though, are not just cruel and unusual as
far as Schoppmann is concerned – they are downright repressive.
far as Schoppmann is concerned – they are downright repressive.
“Considering the amount of money I put on the table for the ticket, I don’t
understand why somebody should be able to tell me I can’t do what I like,”
he said.
understand why somebody should be able to tell me I can’t do what I like,”
he said.
By starting with service between Germany and Japan, two of the world’s most
smoker-filled countries, Schoppmann said he expected Smintair to profit from
the steady flow of business travel between the two. While it might seem a
bit out of the way, D?sseldorf – sometimes referred to as Tokyo on the
Rhine – is home to a Japanese population of more than 15,000, the
third-largest in Europe, after those in London and Paris. Roughly 300
Japanese companies have European headquarters in or around D?sseldorf.
smoker-filled countries, Schoppmann said he expected Smintair to profit from
the steady flow of business travel between the two. While it might seem a
bit out of the way, D?sseldorf – sometimes referred to as Tokyo on the
Rhine – is home to a Japanese population of more than 15,000, the
third-largest in Europe, after those in London and Paris. Roughly 300
Japanese companies have European headquarters in or around D?sseldorf.
According to the International Air Transport Association, more than a
million passengers traveled between Japan and Germany in 2004, a figure that
is expected to increase by an average of 3.6 percent a year through 2009.
While the majority of Japanese visitors to Germany are tourists, fully half
of the Germans traveling to Japan are there on business.
million passengers traveled between Japan and Germany in 2004, a figure that
is expected to increase by an average of 3.6 percent a year through 2009.
While the majority of Japanese visitors to Germany are tourists, fully half
of the Germans traveling to Japan are there on business.
What’s more, about one-quarter of Germans smoke, while government surveys
say 49 percent of men and 14 percent of women in Japan smoke.
say 49 percent of men and 14 percent of women in Japan smoke.
“We expect all of our flights to be overbooked,” Schoppmann said.
Despite his deep empathy with smoking travelers, Schoppmann said Smintair’s
raison d’?tre was not simply to create a haven for nicotine addicts.
Smintair is also promoting its exclusivity, offering only business and
first- class seats. Its two 747s – normally configured to seat around 415
people – will be fitted with just 138 seats.
raison d’?tre was not simply to create a haven for nicotine addicts.
Smintair is also promoting its exclusivity, offering only business and
first- class seats. Its two 747s – normally configured to seat around 415
people – will be fitted with just 138 seats.
In some ways, Schoppmann’s business plan is directed at the same type of
clientele that used to fly the Concorde until Air France and British Airways
canceled the supersonic service in 2003. Smoking was always allowed on
Concorde flights, where passengers paid upward of $9,000 for a seat.
clientele that used to fly the Concorde until Air France and British Airways
canceled the supersonic service in 2003. Smoking was always allowed on
Concorde flights, where passengers paid upward of $9,000 for a seat.
On Smintair, Schoppmann said, ticket prices will be in line with those of
the German flag carrier Lufthansa, whose Web site recently offered a nonstop
business-class ticket from Frankfurt to Tokyo for €4,298, or $5,500, and
€6,452 for first class.
the German flag carrier Lufthansa, whose Web site recently offered a nonstop
business-class ticket from Frankfurt to Tokyo for €4,298, or $5,500, and
€6,452 for first class.
Even with smoking statistics in its favor, some experts say Smintair is a
gamble. Past attempts to create smokers’ airlines in the United States have
come to naught. In 1988, when Congress banned smoking on all flights of less
than two hours, a group of Texas-based investors sought to set up the Great
American Smokers’ Club, a members- only charter service between Dallas and
Houston. Despite signing up more than 6,000 members, the venture failed
after regulators refused to grant it a license.
gamble. Past attempts to create smokers’ airlines in the United States have
come to naught. In 1988, when Congress banned smoking on all flights of less
than two hours, a group of Texas-based investors sought to set up the Great
American Smokers’ Club, a members- only charter service between Dallas and
Houston. Despite signing up more than 6,000 members, the venture failed
after regulators refused to grant it a license.
Five years later, after the U.S. ban was extended to include long-haul
flights, a similar venture in Florida, Smokers Express, failed to raise
enough money from investors.
flights, a similar venture in Florida, Smokers Express, failed to raise
enough money from investors.
“These specialized things frequently come to grief,” Daniel Solon, an
analyst at Avmark, a commercial aviation consultancy, said of Smintair.
analyst at Avmark, a commercial aviation consultancy, said of Smintair.
Moreover, there is the question of whether smokers would take the trouble to
make their way to D?sseldorf just to take a 12-hour smoking flight.
make their way to D?sseldorf just to take a 12-hour smoking flight.
“If I’m in London making a lot of money in the City and I decide that I want
to go to Japan, I’m not sure it’s worth my while,” Solon said. “Unless
you’ve really got a heavy habit, most smokers should be able to handle 12
hours on the plane without lighting up.”
to go to Japan, I’m not sure it’s worth my while,” Solon said. “Unless
you’ve really got a heavy habit, most smokers should be able to handle 12
hours on the plane without lighting up.”
Schoppmann said he had lined up nearly €300 million since May from private
investors in Europe and the Middle East. The company expects to apply for an
operating license with German regulators by late September and hopes to
eventually hire about 275 people.
investors in Europe and the Middle East. The company expects to apply for an
operating license with German regulators by late September and hopes to
eventually hire about 275 people.
Germany and Japan permit smoking in workplaces, so the argument that many
European countries and the United States have used to ban smoking – the
health hazard to employees – would not be relevant there.
European countries and the United States have used to ban smoking – the
health hazard to employees – would not be relevant there.
Smintair’s safety prohibitions will bar smoking during takeoff and landing,
nor will it be permitted in the toilets.
nor will it be permitted in the toilets.
Michael Lamberty, a spokesman for Lufthansa, declined to comment on
Smintair’s prospects. “Let’s wait for the smoke to clear,” he said. All
Lufthansa flights have been nonsmoking since 1989, he said, adding,
“Passengers and we as an airline have been happy with it.”
Smintair’s prospects. “Let’s wait for the smoke to clear,” he said. All
Lufthansa flights have been nonsmoking since 1989, he said, adding,
“Passengers and we as an airline have been happy with it.”
Meanwhile, the anti-smoking movement appears to be gaining ground in
Germany. The country’s consumer affairs minister, Horst Seehofer, said in
July that the government planned after the summer break to propose a
nationwide ban on smoking in public places beginning next year.
Germany. The country’s consumer affairs minister, Horst Seehofer, said in
July that the government planned after the summer break to propose a
nationwide ban on smoking in public places beginning next year.
“I would love that,” Schoppmann said. “They are playing into our hands.”
Smoking airline’ plan, as hotels stub out
August 1, 2006
Julie Clothier
Julie Clothier
As more and more hotels go completely smoke-free, a German entrepreneur is bucking the trend by launching an airline for those determined not to kick the habit.
From September, smoking will not be allowed in all 400,000 Marriott hotel and corporate apartment rooms in the U.S. and Canada.
Marriott says the ban has been spurred by public demand and will cover all guest rooms, restaurants, lounges, meeting rooms, public space and employee work areas.
Westin hotels in Australia and the Pacific region are also 100 percent smoke free from July 31 after the company’s 77 North American hotels became smoke free in January this year.
But it is not all bad news for those determined to keep smoking.
Former German investment banker Alexander W. Schoppmann hopes his new airline, Smokers’ International Airline (Smintair), will begin daily services on March 26 between Dusseldorf in Germany and Tokyo’s Narita airport.
He says smoking will be permitted in all 138 seats — 100 in business-class and 30 in first-class — onboard the airline’s two leased Boeing 747 aircraft.
Most airlines have at least 400 seats in a 747 and some have up to 500 seats. Schoppmann said Smintair business-class seats would have 70 inches (1.77 meters) of legroom, while first-class seats would have 80 inches (2.03 meters.)
There will be no seats in the plane’s upper deck, which will be used as a lounge.
Flights will cost 6,500 euros ($8,300) return for business-class seats and 10,000 euros ($12,800) return for first-class seats.
Schoppmann said he has had the idea for a luxury airline with all the services airlines offered in the 1960s for about 25 years. He has been actively working to make it happen for nearly a year and a half.
“I have been a traveler for the best part of 50 years. I have seen the level of service go down and the price go up,” he told CNN.
He believes the route between Germany and Japan will offer a service to bridge Europe and Asia, and hopes to eventually extend the Dusseldorf to Tokyo route to Shanghai in China.
“It’s not so much the idea of letting someone smoke, it’s more the idea of letting people who are coming on board, who are making decisions every day, they don’t want to be told off and we are giving them a feeling of being on a luxury airline.”
Schoppmann, who has smoked for 40 years, said each passenger would be able to use onboard Internet and would have their own 15-inch (38-centimeter) television screen.
Smintair plans to start flying in March next year.Non-smokers will also be encouraged to fly with Smintair.
Smintair plans to start flying in March next year.Non-smokers will also be encouraged to fly with Smintair.
“Allowing our guests to smoke is one of the freedoms we are happily prepared to grant,” says the company’s Web site.
“Non-smokers will find the cabin air more refreshing than on any other flight with any other airline, as Smintair adds fresh outside air to the conditioning system.”
Anthony Concil, spokesman for the International Air Transport Association (IATA), told CNN it was up to individual airlines to determine what their smoking onboard policy was and the association did not have a stance either way.
IATA represents 265 airlines accounting for 94 percent of international air traffic.
He could not confirm whether Smintair had applied for IATA membership, but could see no reason for refusing the airline membership if it met safety and financial criteria.
In order to begin flying, airlines need an operations certificate issued by the government of the country in which they are based to show they meet safety and financial criteria, Concil said.
Ian Willmore, spokesman for UK-based anti-smoking lobby group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said he hoped Smintair would not go ahead.
“Hopefully it will hit the ground faster than a flightless turkey,” he told CNN. “I hope that it will be stopped by the German government as they move towards a smoking ban in public places. I hope that onboard a plane is considered a public place,” he said.
He welcomed the move by hotel chains to ban smoking and said an increasing number of countries were banning smoking in public places.
“All evidence clearly shows that the times has come that smoke-free public places are here to stay. They are obviously the way of the future,” Willmore told CNN.
“More and more people don’t want a hotel room smelling of smoke. It takes a long time for the smell to go away.”
Smokers Airline Set To Light Up Next Year
July 12, 2006
Maddy Sauer
Maddy Sauer
More legroom, an upper deck lounge and the freedom to smoke to one’s heart’s content are the promises of the new SMINTAIR which hopes to make a maiden voyage from Dusseldorf to Tokyo in March 2007.
Alexander Schoppman, Managing Director at SMINTAIR, assures his future flyers that smoking in airline cabins is safe, and he says that airlines only stopped allowing their passengers to smoke in order to save money on fuel and air conditioner filters. On SMINTAIR’s website, Schoppman also denies that second-hand smoke is a health threat and compares today’s anti-smoking campaigns to those of the Nazis.
A report issued last month by the U.S. Surgeon General concluded that secondhand smoke exposure can cause heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults and is a known cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), respiratory problems, ear infections and asthma attacks in infants and children.
SMINTAIR promises to take passengers back to the glory days of air travel by providing elegant meals and attentive service. This step back in time also includes the promise of “charming and beautiful flight attendants.”
“In the 50s, 60s and 70s, I was always looking forward to every flight, enjoying a luxurious experience above the clouds,” Schoppman says. “The stewardesses (yes, that was the job title, and they were proud of it!) were all friendly, very pretty and in their fresh uniforms.”
Tickets have not yet gone on sale for the maiden flight, but SMINTAIR has 120 open positions for flight attendants, according to their website.
Smokers’ airline a load of hot air?
July, 2006
By Ginny McGrath
Smokers’ delight: holiday destinations for dedicated puffers
By Ginny McGrath
Smokers’ delight: holiday destinations for dedicated puffers
There’s been a bit of puff in the travel industry surrounding the launch of a luxury smokers’ airline called Smintair.
Smintair stands for Smokers’ International Airways, and the airline has been founded by a German businessman who hopes the carrier’s pro-smoking policy will attract the Asian business market, as well as Europeans who like a puff (the first service between Dusseldorf and Tokyo is planned for March 2007).
The carrier wants to attract a host of sponsors who produce luxury goods. Depending on the level of sponsorship, logos and branding could be splattered across aircraft, and while passengers enjoy the salubrious surroundings of Smintair’s spacious jumbo jets, they’ll be flogged various luxury duty free products that go way beyond the current inflight offerings.
Smintair plans to operate jumbo jets with 30 first class and 108 business class seats, with seat pitches of 80 inches and 70 inches respectively, which compares to in excess of 78 inches and 73 inches in the respective premium cabins on British Airways long-haul flights.
Passengers onboard will also enjoy the distractions of television, DVD, MP3 players and gourmet food plus, “charming and beautiful flight attendants” whose uniforms will be updated every two years to stay in vogue.
Far from being an unpleasant experience for non-smokers, Smintair managing director, Alexander W. Schoppmann, claims that the air in his cabins will be fresher than the non-smoking aircraft of his rivals.
The forthright Schoopmann explains: “Nowadays, they [other airlines] just circulate the air through filters and pump the old air right back into the cabin. The result is saving money for the airline and presenting you with a free head ache. Yes, that’s the reason why you have a head ache and feel worn-out after longer plane journeys.”
But is it a load of hot air? Smintair has a flashy website, www.smintair.com, and is inviting investors and sponsors to get onboard, as well as advertising for 12 pilots and 120 flight attendants alongside further staff, but the airline has yet to register with the relevant regulatory authorities in Germany.
According to Luftfahrt-Bundesamt, the German equivalent of the CAA, Smintair is not one of the country’s 154 registered airlines and a spokesperson for the organisation says Smintair has yet to make an application. Commenting on this fact, a Smitair spokesperson told Times Online Travel that the airline will apply for a licence at the end of July. They added: “We only commence service in March 2007, so we have plenty of time in hand. The license is a sheer formality when you are able to produce all the requirements.”
Smintair is a novel idea and will certainly attract media coverage with its unqiue inflight policies, but the jury is out on whether it will take off.
Smokers’ airline ready for take-off
By Kate Connolly in Berlin
27/06/2006
27/06/2006
A German businessman has founded an airline dedicated to smokers.
Smintair, or Smokers’ International Airways, aims to cater for smokers who feel excluded in an age when all major airlines have banned the habit.
A Dusseldorf-Tokyo service is due to begin in October and is expected to serve mainly Japanese businessmen.
Smintair’s founder, Alexander Schoppmann, a 30-a-day man, said: “There are no laws banning smoking on board. The airlines have made these rules themselves because no-smoking planes are cheaper. It means you don’t have to change the air filter system so regularly.”
German plans airline for smokers
June 27, 2006
A German entrepreneur plans to launch the world’s first smokers’ airline next year, promising a return to the times before planes became smoke-free zones.
Alexander Schoppmann, a former stockbroker, is seeking the start-up cash for Smintair – Smoker’s International Airways.
On its website Smintair promises to “bring back the exclusivity in flying encountered in the 1960s”.
The plan is to fly two leased Boeing 747s on the Duesseldorf-Tokyo route.
Old-fashioned luxuries
The airline will not offer economy-class tickets, but will target business people who enjoy smoking – and who are willing to pay for some extra pampering.
Smoking will be allowed in all 138 seats on board – and there will be extra leg room, because jumbo jets normally accommodate more passengers.
“The upper deck will be the passengers’ lounge and not be jammed with seats, as you can sadly find everywhere, nowadays,” the website says.
“Allergics against tobacco smoke or militant anti-smokers are asked to not apply,” Smintair says on its jobs page.
On the website Mr Schoppmann writes nostalgically about the old times when Lufthansa offered its passengers a vast selection of Montecristo cigars.
He says airline smoking bans were prompted by a desire to economise on air conditioning systems. He promises to restore the old-fashioned system of pumping fresh air through the cabin.
Before it can launch, Smintair needs to find at least 40 million euros (?27.6m) for an operating licence from the German federal aviation authority.
Mr Schoppmann is optimistic his airline will take off next summer.
SMINTAIR
Read: This web site is designed to inform interested parties about SMINTAIR’s philosophy, aims, progress and current standing of affairs until we are able to offer tickets for the first flight between D?sseldorf-International (DUS) and Tokyo (NRT), scheduled October 29th, 2006.
Since April 2005, the SMINTAIR DEVELOPMENT TEAM has been working on every aspect to set basis for launching a successful airline on a long-term perspective.
SMINTAIR will bring back the joy of flying by offering 30 first class and 108 business class seats only, on a BOEING 747-400, one of the most reliable planes in the World. The second floor will be the passenger’s lounge and not be jammed with seats, as you can sadly find everywhere, nowadays. 70″ legroom for business and 80″ for first class guests will enhance comfort and privacy.
AIMS:
SMINTAIR will be the airline with the best service available, willing to conquer new territory in aviation. It will also be an airline with the highest possible safety standard. The renowned technicians of LUFTHANSA will maintain and repair our aircraft on all service intervals specified by BOEING. Only original parts will be allowed during the process.
SMINTAIR will be the airline with the best service available, willing to conquer new territory in aviation. It will also be an airline with the highest possible safety standard. The renowned technicians of LUFTHANSA will maintain and repair our aircraft on all service intervals specified by BOEING. Only original parts will be allowed during the process.
Although innovative, SMINTAIR will treat it’s passengers like the staff of an international Grand Hotel treats their guests. It is an obligation to SMINTAIR bringing back the exclusivity in flying encountered in the 1960s and dearly missed by so many. The classic ambience pared with today’s technology will make flying SMINTAIR a unique experience. Presentations of luxurious goods with all due countenance, Telephone, TV, DVD, MP3, Internet, are just some of the many envisioned tools and aspects of in-flight entertainment.
SMINTAIR believes in a very close relation to it’s guests. Therefore, every passenger will find a short questionnaire within his Onboard Entertainment Pack. The OEP also includes the Duty-Free listing, our monthly Gazette and pamphlets of our sponsors. The only thing there’s left to do for the classic SMINTAIR passenger is, to just sit back and relax, SMINTAIR’s highly trained staff will be glad to service you.
SMINTAIR LIMITED
95, Wilton Road
Suite 3
London SW1V 1BZ
England
Company’s Register N? 5602357
Managing Director:
Alexander W. Schoppmann, Esq.
95, Wilton Road
Suite 3
London SW1V 1BZ
England
Company’s Register N? 5602357
Managing Director:
Alexander W. Schoppmann, Esq.
Look for Alexander at the International Smokers Rights Chats & Forums
Forces Nederland: Smintair: rokers gaan weer lucht krijgen
List of all airlines that allow smoking as of 2003.
