Though smoking hasn’t been permitted on U.S. flights for decades, I can recall taking notice of a bathroom ashtray on a Virgin flight just a few years ago. The plane was brand-new, with plastic wrap still on various components, and I was bewildered. When I asked a flight attendant about it, they explained that despite the smoking ban, ashtrays are required by the FAA for safety. If someone is foolish enough to light up in the lavatory, a place is provided to snuff out the mistake without burning down the plane.

Similarly, until today, planes were still required to have an off switch for their “No Smoking” signs. That requirement made a whole lot less sense, however, and now it’s been abolished.