United Nations bans lithium batteries as cargo on passenger planes

The UN had previously rejected similar restrictions in the past but is open to considering them now.

The prohibiting of Lithium-ion cargo shipments on passenger aircraft has been eagerly awaited by aircraft manufacturer and pilots associations, which have been the most vocal advocates for the new safety measure. Thankfully, customers will still be permitted to carry their devices with lithium ion batteries, but airlines won’t be able to ship large quantities via passenger airplanes. The ban is said to be mandatory for the 36 member states of the International Civil Aviation Organization according to Reuters, and it’s expected that others will also follow suit.

While non-rechargeable lithium metal batteries have already been banned from cargo holds on passenger flights, the ban has now expanded to the rechargeable versions, like the ones found in cellphones, laptops and cameras. The cause of the fire was located in a tracking device carrying lithium batteries, the Guardian reported at the time.

Transportation department officials in the Obama administration said they are glad the global aviation group is moving to ban the controversial lithium ion batteries, even if the prohibition is only being enacted on an interim basis.

Three cargo jets have been destroyed and four pilots killed in in-flight fires since 2006 that accident investigators say were either started by batteries or made more severe by their proximity. It also imposed new limits on small packages of batteries.

Although the United Nations agency is calling its directive a ban, it doesn’t have any authority to enforce it. Instead, that will be up to aviation regulators in each country.

“Those people who are not complying now will not comply with a prohibition”, he added.

Safety concerns increased after FAA tests showed gases emitted by overheated batteries can build up in cargo containers, leading to explosions capable of disabling aircraft fire suppression systems and allowing fires to rage unchecked.

Tests by aviation bodies have established that lithium-ion batteries can self-ignite and burn with a heat of about 600C – close to the melting point of the aluminium used in the superstructure of many aircraft.