Airlines Demand Stricter Lithium-Ion Battery Regulations Amid Fire Risk
Airlines are intensifying warnings regarding the carriage of lithium-ion batteries, particularly within checked hold luggage, citing an inherent fire risk. This comes after multiple onboard incidents involving these power sources, which can undergo 'thermal runaway' and ignite.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has documented over 300 aviation incidents linked to lithium batteries since 2021. While many of these occurred in cargo, passenger-related events, such as a laptop power bank igniting on a flight from San Francisco to Boston in 2023, underscore the danger.
A notable event in 2022 saw a passenger's bag smouldering in a hold after a flight from New Delhi to Vancouver. Fire services attributed the incident to a large lithium-ion battery. Such occurrences highlight the difficulty of extinguishing these fires in aircraft holds, where detection systems are limited and suppression relies on inert gas, which is ineffective against lithium battery fires.
Under current regulations, spare lithium-ion batteries and power banks are prohibited from checked luggage and must be carried in cabin baggage. Devices like laptops, phones, and cameras with integrated batteries are permitted in checked luggage, but airlines advocate for these to be carried in the cabin too. The industry is pushing for greater public awareness and more stringent enforcement of these regulations to prevent potential catastrophes.
