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Comment by peterkelly | Hacker News Reader

I guess it's like the "no smoking" lights in airplanes. Even though they're always on (it's not like there's times during the flight when you can smoke and other times when you can't), they serve as an important reminder, and therefore have a purpose.

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> I guess it's like the "no smoking" lights in airplanes

On newer planes the no smoking light is now only a sticker/sign. They're using the bulb that used to be for smoking now to indicate when WiFi/GSM is available (satellite based, so only above 20,000ft).

At least this is my experience flying internationally from Europe in the past years.

> satellite based, so only above 20,000ft

Wha?

I'm guessing it has to do with the frequencies/power levels they're using for communications not being permitted below 20,000ft, although I haven't dug much into it.

The brochure on my flight said the plane had a 5/1MBit link (shared between all users). Not exactly what you'll watch YouTube videos on, but I suppose it works for email and message apps.

https://www.panasonic.aero/inflight-connectivity/global-comm...

No, the other arms of the intersection are actively using lights so by regulation this arm must also be light regulated. They can't remove it even if they wanted to.

Of course, the lights used to go on and off when smoking on planes was permitted.

I'm not 100% certain, but I'm willing to bet it's still permitted in some countries.

I don't know anywhere it is officially permitted for passengers, but anecdotally it still happens in some countries.

http://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2016/07/27/smoking-on...

In practice Air India seems to allow it, especially on the older jets and longer flights. Unusally long lines immediately form at toilets and don't seem to subside throughout a several hour flight. The smell of cigarette smoke is attended to regularly with a good old spray of air freshener.

What???? I doubt this is true. Smoking has never been allowed in numerous Air India flights I have taken.

Agreed. I've taken various internal flights in India, Vietnam and the Philippines and none of them have allowed smoking, officially or "unofficially".

They are there because of the regulations. You'll also find an ashtray in the bathroom. It is because the regulations have not changed since the times that people were allowed to smoke on planes.

With respect to the ashtrays in bathrooms, I've also read [1] (no idea if it's true or not) that the FAA still requires them on the theory that, if someone illegally has a smoke in the bathroom, they want there to be somewhere safe to stub out their cigarette.

[1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travel-truths/why-do-plane...

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