Airport Program

Philip Morris' Airport Program is a branch of its Accommodation Program, an organized effort PM began in the 1990s to prevent the spread of legislated smoking restrictions by advocating separate smoking areas in public places.

The Airport Program started off circa 1991 as part of the Tobacco Institute's Public Issues Program, in which TI public affairs employees sought to limit the number of smoking bans being enacted in workplaces and public places. After the Tobacco Institute was ordered disbanded under the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement, Philip Morris took over the Airport Program and budgeted $1 million to promote it.

The Airport Program included persuading major airports to include smoking areas. Philip Morris paid to fund smoking lounges in airports.

A goal of the Airport Program was to "Engage and motivate major airlines to play a role in airport accommodation policies and encourage them to use it as a customer service tool."

Airports targeted in 2001 included Savannah (Georgia), Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, Detroit, Louisville, Nashville, St. Louis and Pittsburgh. Philip Morris performed ventilation assessments and worked out agreements to fund ventilation in smoking lounges. PM Public Affairs employee also attended airport trade shows and conferences to promote their assistance at building smoking lounges.