|
Monday, December 31, 2007 Indy Airport Delays Total
Smoking Ban Board To Hear Tenants' Concerns Friday WRTV Ch 6 (ABC), Indianapolis (IN) INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis International Airport will
close its public smoking room as scheduled Tuesday but will postpone a ban on
outdoor smoking because of concerns voiced by tenants, 6News' Rafael Sanchez
reported. The Indianapolis Airport Authority board decided to hear
tenants' concerns during its regularly scheduled meeting Friday morning before
ruling whether to proceed with a total smoking ban at the airport. Some tenants and service providers have argued that
preventing people from smoking on airport property -- even outdoors -- would
negatively affect business. Though it is reconsidering the merits of an outdoor ban, the
board is not prepared to entertain debate about the terminal smoking room. "The public smoking room will close as scheduled on
Jan. 1," airport Director Robert Duncan said in a news release Monday. The board in June passed an ordinance that was set to ban
smoking at the airport starting New Year's Day. Since June, the board has
received numerous requests from airport tenants and service providers seeking
exemptions, the IAA said. At the airport on Monday, traveler Mike Eicher said he
thought a total ban would reach too far. "I think you should be able to smoke outside,"
said Eicher, a smoker. "You've got enough room for everybody to do what
they need to do and not be bothered by it." Anita Warner, a nonsmoker who was at the airport Tuesday,
said she was in favor of the ban. She said nonsmokers should be protected from
secondhand smoke. "It's just not good for the body, healthwise," she
said. Click or paste the link to view the video: http://mfile.akamai.com/12928/wmv/vod.ibsys.com/2007/1231/14953385.200k.asx |