The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a fresh safety alert to US airlines, warning of the increasing dangers posed by lithium-ion batteries in passenger cabins. The alert highlights that batteries stored in overhead bins or carry-on baggage may be obscured, making it difficult for passengers and crew to detect thermal runaway and respond promptly.
According to the FAA, Halon extinguishers can briefly suppress open flames but do not halt the thermal runaway process. The primary response involves using large amounts of water to cool the battery and suppress flames. The alert follows 50 reported incidents this year of batteries emitting smoke, igniting, or overheating, leading to flight diversions and injuries.
Notable cases include a cell phone on an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Madrid that overheated, damaging the aircraft floor and injuring a passenger, and a laptop emitting smoke on a flight from Chicago to Portland, Oregon, causing a diversion to Casper, Wyoming.
The FAA recommends airlines bolster risk mitigation strategies, including better communication about lithium battery risks, enhanced firefighting procedures, and additional crew training. The agency has also proposed a $60,000 civil penalty against LG Energy Solution for shipping undeclared and improperly packaged lithium batteries from Seoul to Los Angeles in January 2024, which ignited at a FedEx facility.
Southwest Airlines is the only major US carrier requiring passengers to keep portable chargers and power banks visible during flights. Spare lithium batteries are generally prohibited in checked luggage.
