I hear you, but for some reason I don’t believe you. I grew up in the 80s and never experienced cigs on a plane, but I have a feeling the smoke smell spread further than the seated row before smoking.
As a former smoker, I’m sure you could still snel the smoke.
But my friend, who is an airline captain, told me the cabins did get better ventilation back in the smoking days.
My first flight that i was ever on was pretty much the last one that still had smokers on them, and the airplane definitely snelled like smoke. I remember my second flight, some guy lit up a cigarette and they explained him that smoking isn’t allowed anymore, and people were like: i fon’t care, let him smoke and shit. Insanity.