 Effective April 1998, inflight smoking is banned by the United States Department of Transportation on all commercial passenger flights in the United States, and/or by American air carriers.This was long after Delta Air Lines had banned smoking on all of its flights.On August 9, 1997, President Bill Clinton issued , banning smoking in all interior spaces owned, rented, or leased by the Executive Branch of the Federal Government, as well as in any outdoor areas under executive branch control near air intake ducts.