It’s not up to the airline, for what it’s worth: from http://articles.boston.com/2011-02-12/news/29341421_1_e-cigarettes-real-cigarette-smoking-regulations: The Department of Transportation says the use of smokeless electronic cigarettes on airplanes is prohibited and plans to issue an official ban this spring, according to a letter from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood obtained by the Associated Press.
The stewardess should have explained that it wasn’t her being stupid, it was those Nazis, Lautenberg and LaHood.