They Huffed, Puffed, Flew Their Plane in

Passengers smoked aboard airlines before 1988, when federal laws imposing limits were passed. That’s when times changed for the airborne public smoker.

Until now. Retired pilot Ted Hall has started a charter air service for smokers, called Freedom Air, scheduled to make its first flight Tuesday.

Hall, who also smokes, said he hates it when he can’t light up during an airline flight. He fidgets, he’s restless. He finally resorts to chewing tobacco and spitting in a small paper cup.

“It’s just murder,” he said.

Only about 40 people were signed up last week for more than 150 seats on the plane, which will fly round trip from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, Hall said. But he’s confident that when word gets out, the smokers will come.

Two more charters are scheduled for early October.

“I just think it’s unfair not to have accommodations for all kinds of people,” Hall said. “It’s not American.”