Air China strictly prohibit smoking in the flight deck. They have even sent several emails to foreign captains reminding them not to permit smoking onboard.

BUT....this is China.

So of course there is smoking in the flight deck. Probably about one quarter of the crew smoke. Most of the time they will ask first or suggest "Captain, perhaps you need to go to the toilet"? Even the fleet manager smokes onboard!

But I have had several fire up and start puffing without even asking.

I had one FO plead with me to let him smoke when we were 30 miles out from YVR about to start the ILS after being in the air for 11 hours!!!!!

I usually did not care enroute as the cab fans in the 330 are awesome and a quick wee and return to the flight deck and the smell was gone.

And there was at least one small in flight fires as a result of smoking that I heard about!