Evidently, passengers that decided to smoke despite the ban were tossing their cigarette butts into the trash. Leaving ashtrays intact reduced the chances of a fire, thus keeping everyone safe ...

It may be illegal to smoke on planes ... they would dispose of the cigarette in the ashtray as opposed to, say, a trash bin full of flammables," says Robert Antolin, chief operating officer ...

Olathe Fire officials say if you smoke, make sure you're smoking on a surface that won't burn, put your cigarettes out all the way in an ashtray or container that won't burn, and douse your ashes ...