Passengers aboard a Detroit-L.A. flight re-routed after lit cigarette found in lavatory

"Federal law prohibits tampering with, disabling, or destroying a lavatory smoke detector... yada yada yada," goes the pre-flight spiel of many a modern U.S. airline.

But what happens if someone actually lights up at 30,000 feet?

Passengers on a recent flight from Detroit to L.A. found out the hard way after a lit cigarette was discovered in a lavatory garbage can, the Freep reports:

Passengers on a Monday evening flight from Detroit to Las Vegas had to stop and board another plane in Omaha after a lit cigarette was found in a restroom garbage can.

The crew elected to divert to Omaha after the cigarette was found aboard the Boeing 737 on Delta flight 1490. The plane landed without incident, and the airline is investigating the matter, according to a statement from Delta Air Lines.

No word yet on the nicotine-craving perp. Delta Airlines is currently investigating.